Power of Sport

From 13 runners in Bushy Park to millions of participants around the world, this is the story of parkrun. In this episode of The Power of Sport Podcast, Xavier Wiggins sits down with Paul Sinton-Hewitt CBE, the founder of parkrun, to explore how one free Saturday morning run became one of the world's greatest community movements. Paul reflects on the personal challenges that shaped his thinkin...

Power of Sport Podcast | Episode 12John Shiels | 47 Years at Manchester United | Football, Community and Changing Lives Host, Xavier Wiggins, recorded this with John on his final day after 47 years connected to Manchester United, the last chapter as CEO of the Manchester United Foundation. Under his leadership the Foundation grew to reach over 42,000 children a year from some of the most socially...

What started as a Sunday league football team in London - named after an Argentine club - became a foundation changing lives in 18 countries. Henry May is the founder of The Huracan Foundation, which backs teachers and community leaders in underserved communities around the world, using football as a catalyst for education and social change. With over 4,000 children reached and 47% of them girls,...

In this episode of the Power of Sport, I sit down with Helgi Thor and Bergthor Bodvarsson - two of the people behind FC Sæko, an independent football club in Reykjavík for men and women living with mental health problems. FC Sæko was started in 2011 with a simple idea: get people out of isolation, onto a pitch, and give them a reason to show up. Titles and diagnoses stay outside the field. In 2018...

In this episode of the Power of Sport, I sit down with Mike de Giorgio - the founder of Greenhouse Sports, a charity that has used sport and mentoring to transform the lives of over 60,000 young people across London. Mike sold his financial consultancy business in 2001 and chose to put his energy, skills and experience into something with a very different kind of purpose. What began as a small hol...

Tranai Todd founded Support Through Sport at 17 - not because it seemed like a good idea, but because he'd lived it. Growing up in a disadvantaged area of Nottingham, sport gave him the protective factors to stay away from the negative influences that surround so many young people in communities like his. Now 21, he leads a regional organisation that delivers sport-based intervention, mentorin...

In this episode, we sit down with Natalie O'Rourke MBE - founder of Park Lane Stables RDA in Teddington and one of the most remarkable community figures in Britain today. Natalie's story is extraordinary. From growing up in Birmingham with a love of horses instilled by her father, to transforming a traditional riding school into a lifeline for children and adults with disabilities, mental...

In Episode 6 of Power of Sport, Xavier Wiggins is joined by Niall Couper, Chief Executive of Fair Game, to explore how football can do far more for communities if the system allows it. They discuss Fair Game’s push for a fairer, more sustainable game, the role clubs can play in tackling social challenges, and why football remains one of the most powerful tools we have for positive change. This is...

Sport can change lives. In this Power of Sport Podcast highlights episode, we revisit some of the most powerful moments from our first four guests - stories of prison, suicide, cancer and the life-changing impact of sport. These conversations show how sport can provide purpose, belonging and a second chance - and how people are now using sport to help young people, support girls and inspire others...

In Episode 4 of the Power of Sport podcast, I’m joined by Annabel Kiki - elite amputee footballer, Golden Boot winner at the 2024 Women’s Amputee Football World Cup, and an S9 para swimmer. Annabel is just 17, but she’s already competing and winning at the very highest level. We talk about her journey into sport, how she lost her leg, what it takes to perform under pressure, and what it means to r...

Joe Lockley is the founder of Brightstar Boxing, a community boxing club using sport to change lives, build confidence, and create real opportunities for young people who need them most. In this episode of Power of Sport, Joe shares how Brightstar Boxing grew from a local idea into a powerful community force - supporting 600 young people weekly with their mental health, discipline, self-belief, an...

Power of Sport - Episode 2: Francesca Brown (Goals4Girls) In this episode of Power of Sport, we’re joined by Francesca Brown, CEO and Founder of Goals4Girls, award-winning speaker, Prince’s Trust Ambassador, UEFA-qualified coach, and one of the UK’s most inspiring leaders in sport for social change. Francesca shares her powerful journey and how football is being used to transform the lives of girl...

How West Ham Are Changing Lives Off the Pitch | Joe Lyons | Power of Sport PodcastJoe Lyons, CEO of the West Ham United Foundation, joins the Power of Sport Podcast to explain how football clubs are changing lives in communities across the UK.From youth programmes to support for older fans, West Ham’s foundation shows the real social power of football and how clubs are increasingly becoming vital...

In Episode 1 of Power of Sport, we hear the remarkable story of Dean Morgan. In and out of the youth justice system and prison in his early life, Dean reached a crossroads - continue down a path of crime, or choose a different, more fulfilling way forward. He chose sport. What began as a personal lifeline became a mission. Dean went on to dedicate his life to using sport as a tool to steer others...

Power of Sport is a new weekly podcast exploring how sport is changing lives and strengthening communities. Hosted by Aaron Paul and Xavier Wiggins, the podcast goes beyond headlines to hear from the people doing the work on the ground - tackling issues like mental health, inclusion, inequality and opportunity through sport. This short preview episode introduces the thinking behind the podcast, wh...