A London council has backed an initiative to replace ‘No Ball Games’ signs with basketball hoops to get young Brits engaged in sport and physical activity.
With an estimated 7,000 signs across London alone2, a new Banksy-styled campaign has been rolled out in Lambeth to shine a spotlight on the city’s youth inactivity crisis and the role that these outdated signs play in it.
According to the charity London Sport, ‘No Ball Games’ signs deter an estimated 80 young people3 from engaging in sport and physical activity – which could have led to more than half a million young people being discouraged from playing and staying active.
Today, with the support of the London Lions basketball team including captain Ovie Soko, the charity helped local youngsters transform an infamous ‘No Ball Games’ sign into an invitation for play.
The first reimagined sign – now a fully functional basketball hoop – was unveiled at the Mursell Estate in Lambeth and comes at a critical time.
The latest data from Sport England reveals that more than half of the country’s children (52.7%) are failing to meet the Chief Medical Officers’ recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise4.
In London, the situation is even more stark, with 32% of children and young people averaging less than 30 active minutes per day5.
Beneath these figures also lies a deep socio-economic disparity, with children in the city’s most deprived areas three times more likely6 to be inactive than those in the wealthiest parts.
Captain and ex-Love Island star Ovie Soko, a champion for youth empowerment, says, “This initiative is exactly what London’s young people need. It’s about more than basketball – it’s about the opportunity to be active and be part of something bigger.” Lenz Balan, President of the London Lions, added, “Basketball has the power to change lives, and we’re proud to support an initiative that gives more young people the opportunity to play.”
London Sport – a charity focused on helping people live longer, healthier and happier lives through being active – is calling for urgent action to remove barriers to activity and reclaim public spaces for movement, fun and community wellbeing.
Emily Robinson, Chief Executive at London Sport, said: “These ‘No Ball Games’ signs send the wrong message especially to children and young people. As a society we need to be finding suitable, safe places which proactively encourage children to play, exercise and take a break from screens and devices.”
“This campaign aims to drive policy change to remove barriers to active lives, starting with eliminating these signs. This will have a ripple knock-on effect on tackling obesity, improving life expectancy, children’s academic performance, mental health and ease pressure on the NHS.”
