Darnall Education and Sports Academy (DESA)
Darnall Education and Sports Academy (DESA) was awarded £1,000 from Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park’s grant giving programme, the Legacy Fund, by South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF).
Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park partnered with SYCF to give grants of up to £1,000 to local community organisations delivering mental and physical wellbeing activities and reducing social isolation.
DESA, based in the heart of Darnall across multiple sites, used the grant to provide underprivileged children with free access to Saturday morning football sessions.
Held at Sheffield Hallam University City Athletics Stadium on Woodbourn Road, the sessions were run over six weeks and attracted more than 40 young people learning key soccer skills.
The money was also used to fund discounted, monthly, female-only swimming sessions at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, as well as offer free access to DESA’s weekly Youth Club held at the Starworks in Darnall.
Kamran Din, CEO and director of DESA, said:
We’re so grateful to the teams at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park and South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation for their support.
The Legacy Fund grant has been pivotal to supporting us to set up these new sessions in Darnall. The money has enabled us to continue our work in the community but also increase our offer enabling us to reach a wider demographic of young people.
DESA aims to promote healthy and active lifestyles to local young people through sports sessions including football, cricket, and basketball. The group also offers educational projects with a focus on physical and mental wellbeing and community cohesion.