Harry Taylor works for SportInspired, a national charity whose mission is to improve the physical and mental well-being of children and young people living in the UK’s most deprived communities through sport and play.
Harry and I discussed what SportInspired does, who they benefit and how you can get involved.
Looking for a meaningful CSR project? Get in touch with Harry!
LINKS
Harry Taylor
Instagram: Harrytaylor01
Phone: +447804647058
Email: harry.taylor@sportinspired.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/harrytaylor12
SportInspired
Instagram: sportinspired
Website: https://sportinspired.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sport-inspired-limited/posts/
Colombia Charity
El Rio Foundation: https://www.elriofoundationco.org/
El Rio Hostel: https://www.riohostel.co/
WARM UP
I’ve been at Old Colfeians RFC my whole life — since I was five years old. It’s my first club and my only club. I joined around 2005–2006 and was coached by parents all the way through to Under 17s.
I also played at Colfe’s School from Year 7 to Year 12, and then joined the senior squad as an Under-18. My first senior game was for the 3rd XV, and that pretty much sums up rugby at Old Colfeians — being thrown in, learning fast, and being part of something bigger.
Pretty much my entire rugby experience has been with Old Colfeians. I don’t play as much anymore, but I absolutely bleed Old Colfeians.
THE GAME
What’s your business?
I work for a national charity called Sport Inspired. I started around five months ago, part-time, and I’m now working as a Programme Manager.
The charity is all about getting children involved in sport, particularly in the most deprived areas. We target schools in the top 20% most deprived areas, mainly around London, but we also run programmes in Manchester, Edinburgh and Stockport.
Who do you help?
We work primarily with primary and secondary schools, especially those with high levels of free school meals eligibility.
Our core programme starts with a large multi-sport festival — usually 200–250 children, with five or six different sports. We deliberately avoid football, because most kids already have an experience of that, and sometimes it comes with negative associations. We want children to try sports they might never normally be exposed to.
After the festival, every school is guaranteed at least 10 hours of follow-up sport, delivered directly in schools. The aim is to create lasting connections between:
- Schools
- Local sports clubs
- Children
- And sometimes even parents and adults
Sport has a knock-on effect — once kids get involved, families often follow.
Who could help or partner with you?
We work closely with:
- Corporate partners, who provide around 80% of our funding
- Housing associations, who want to create impact in specific boroughs
- Local sports clubs and quality sport providers, who care about more than just money and want to engage with their community
Corporate partners can:
- Send volunteers for a taster day
- Or fund an entire programme, knowing their money is going directly into grassroots impact
Anyone with corporate volunteering days, or an interest in community sport, is a great fit for us.
HALF TIME
One of my fondest memories was from our 2017 tour to Wales.
We were playing our final game in Abergavenny, against a big, physical Welsh side — proper farmers compared to us South-East London boys. We were definitely the underdogs, and it was a tough, close game.
There was a big brawl at the end, tensions were high, and I actually suffered my first major concussion, getting knocked out while trying to make a try-saving tackle.
But the best part came afterwards. Despite everything that happened on the pitch, both teams ended up together in the bar. That was my first real taste of rugby camaraderie — even at 16 or 17 years old. The Welsh lads were welcoming, inclusive, and it really showed what rugby is all about.
Old Colfeians tours were always brilliant — camper vans, arcades, spending your dad’s money — and that tour stands out as one of my proudest rugby memories.
2nd HALF – Case Studies
Success Stories:
One story that really sticks with me was from my very first festival, at Hackney Britannia Leisure Centre.
We had a secondary-school young leader who was selectively mute. She was given responsibility for leading a group of children, and for most of the morning she communicated without speaking.
But during one session — Boccia — she completely came out of her shell. She started speaking, encouraging her team, and lifting everyone around her. The teachers were genuinely shocked to see the transformation. That came purely from being put into a leadership role through sport.
Another moment was at a festival in Mile End / Poplar Baths, where a Spanish-speaking girl was injured and couldn’t communicate in English. Because I speak some Spanish, I was able to help her. That small moment changed her whole day — she got involved, felt comfortable, and fully participated afterwards.
We also regularly work with:
- Wheelchair users, providing wheelchair basketball
- Mixed activities like teachers vs volunteers
- Sports like judo, which kids absolutely love and rarely get exposure to
These small moments show how powerful sport can be.
TO THE BAR
People you’re looking for:
If you’re a company with volunteering days, or a corporation looking to fund a programme, we’d love to work with you. Even funding one festival can involve 100+ volunteers and have a huge impact.
I’m Harry, and my contact details will be shared in the show notes and on the Old Colfeians RFC website. Whether it’s volunteering, funding, or just getting involved, it always goes towards a genuinely good cause.
And yes — there are usually a few well-earned pints afterwards 🍻
