The Role of Sport in Rebooting Britain: A Contribution to the Anthropy Vision

The Eden Project in Cornwall - location of the Anthropy National Gathering

Introduction

Britain faces a pivotal moment. After years of upheaval – from political shocks to a pandemic – public morale has been fragile and trust in institutions has sharply declined. A 2024 Ipsos survey found that 46% of Britons feel nostalgic about the past, up from just 2% in 1996 – a striking indicator of the public mood. There’s a pervasive sense, expressed at Anthropy and beyond, that “almost everything feels broken,” yet also a belief that renewal is possible. The call to reboot Britain reflects this desire to move forward, drawing on the lessons and values that once united communities.

This contribution aims to support that vision by offering a sport-focused lens across Anthropy’s thematic clusters. Sport is often overlooked in cross-sector strategy, yet it can act as a catalyst for many of the changes Anthropy envisions – from rebuilding trust to reimagining leadership, from rethinking prosperity to reconnecting with nature. It is not a panacea, but it is a powerful tool – a platform for participation, purpose, and public value.

Drawing on reflections from the national gathering, case studies from sport organisations present at Anthropy (including Global Sustainable Sport, Pledgeball, The True Athlete Project, London Marathon Events, Plymouth Argyle FC, Air Aware Labs, and Dons Local Action Group), and insights from broader practice, this report explores how sport can help rewrite the national story and shape a more connected, hopeful and inclusive Britain.

In doing so, it aligns with all 14 Anthropy themes – from civic participation and economic prosperity to health, education, and culture – offering a sport-centred lens that speaks to each. While not every theme has a dedicated section, the role of sport is threaded throughout as relevant to all, including areas such as environmental stewardship, global influence, cross-sector collaboration, and the changing nature of work.

Sport and Trust

Anthropy Theme: Political Engagement and Civic Participation

Sport is one of the few remaining arenas where people across backgrounds gather regularly, side by side. In grassroots clubs, on school fields, and even in stadium stands, sport creates the possibility for shared experience. As trust in formal institutions declines, sport can become an anchor – offering continuity, local pride, and connection. But trust is also easily broken. Scandals in governance or abuse cases remind us that sport must earn trust, not assume it.

Many community clubs model what trustworthy leadership looks like: consistent, volunteer-led, transparent, and embedded in place. Initiatives like Dons Local Action Group – formed by fans of AFC Wimbledon – show how sport communities can quickly mobilise to meet social needs, delivering food, furniture and tech to neighbours in hardship. Projects like Breaking Boundaries and PeacePlayers Northern Ireland have shown how sport can bridge faith or ethnic divides by creating neutral, collaborative spaces for young people.

To deepen this trust-building potential, investment in sport-for-development and community-led governance models should be a priority. Sport must also hold itself to higher standards of safeguarding and inclusion if it is to be seen as a sector capable of leading positive change.Sport also contributes to Britain’s global role – projecting soft power through shared values, athlete advocacy, and international partnerships. From the visibility of Premier League matches to the work of organisations like Global Sustainable Sport, sport helps shape Britain’s reputation as a proponent of inclusion, purpose and fair play on the international stage.

Sport and Purpose, Well-being, and Leadership

Anthropy Theme: Our Healthy Futures

Sport is a natural ally of well-being – not only through physical activity, but also through belonging, motivation, and structure. At Anthropy, the call to “place well-being at the heart of our economy” found resonance with the grassroots values that underpin much of the sport sector. As with other sectors, however, sport also faces internal questions: Who is it for? What counts as success? Who leads?

Coaches, mentors, and community organisers often serve as role models, shaping young people’s confidence and outlook. Their leadership is quiet but transformational. Organisations like London Marathon Events, Youth Sport Trust, and True Athlete champion athlete development models that prioritise mental health and life skills, not just medals. More broadly, campaigns by athletes – from Marcus Rashford’s school meals campaign to mental health advocacy by stars like Simone Biles – are shifting perceptions of what leadership in sport looks like. Gareth Southgate’s widely admired leadership style when he was England men’s football manager – thoughtful, inclusive, and emotionally intelligent – has become a cultural reference point for a more empathetic and principled approach to leadership across British public life.

But wellbeing in sport must also acknowledge its shadow side – the pressure to perform, injuries, exclusionary cultures. Responsible leadership means addressing these issues head-on. That’s why initiatives that foster inclusive coaching, education on mental health, and leadership development in underrepresented groups are so essential. Sport can help reframe leadership for a new Britain: not command and control, but care, consistency, and courage.

Sport and Economic Models

Anthropy Theme: Our Economic Prosperity

Sport offers a valuable testbed for rethinking economic value. Beyond its headline contribution to employment and GDP, sport demonstrates a multi-capital model – generating social, health and environmental returns alongside financial ones. It is also one of the UK’s largest volunteer sectors, with community sport supporting jobs, wellbeing and cohesion, particularly in areas often bypassed by traditional investment.

Local clubs and leisure centres serve as anchors for regionally balanced economic renewal. They create volunteering pathways, develop skills, and foster community pride – acting as engines for both resilience and opportunity. Supporter-owned clubs like AFC Wimbledon and Exeter City show how democratic ownership can prioritise local benefit, while Forest Green Rovers has proven that sustainability-led models can drive both purpose and profitability.

Sport England estimates that every £1 invested in community sport generates £4 in wider benefits, including improved health, reduced crime, and increased employability. These returns strengthen the case for funding frameworks that recognise sport’s full impact – and for holding major events and pro clubs accountable to local regeneration promises. Sport’s potential lies not just in driving economic growth, but in shaping what prosperity means, and who it reaches.

Sport and Technology

Anthropy Theme: The Role of Media and Communications

Sport is a frontier space for technological innovation. AI tools like AiSCOUT are democratising talent pathways, enabling young athletes to be scouted from their smartphones. Wearable tech is improving player safety, and platforms like Air Aware Labs are combining environmental and movement data to shape healthier, more sustainable sport spaces.

Yet innovation brings risks – from data privacy and algorithmic bias to unequal access. Sport must lead on ethical and inclusive tech adoption, ensuring tools are explainable, infrastructure is in place, and community clubs benefit alongside elite teams. Tech should deepen connection and trust, not erode fairness.

As sport reshapes fan experiences and storytelling through digital tools, it also influences how the public sees AI and automation more broadly. This puts responsibility on the sector to model thoughtful, human-centred innovation – blending performance with values, and preserving sport’s power to unite.

Sport and the Environment

Anthropy Theme: Our Climate and Natural Places

Sport is increasingly recognising its environmental responsibilities – not just in terms of reducing carbon emissions, but also in shaping values and behaviours. Venues, clubs and governing bodies are rethinking operations: from travel and kit supply chains to stadium energy use and waste management.

Clubs like Forest Green Rovers have pioneered sustainability in professional sport – embedding renewable energy, plant-based catering and circular practices into their identity. Grassroots movements like Pledgeball mobilise fans around everyday climate actions, showing how sport can shift mindsets while creating tangible environmental impact.

Innovation also plays a part. Air Aware Labs demonstrates how wearable tech and environmental data can be used to map cleaner, healthier spaces to move in – combining sport, citizen science and public health.

The influence of sport goes beyond facilities or fan pledges. It has the potential to normalise pro-environmental behaviours, support community adaptation to climate impacts, and advocate for broader systemic change. In an era of climate urgency, sport can model both responsibility and hope.

Sport, Culture, Education and Storytelling

Anthropy Theme: Our Culture

Sport is a central storyteller of modern Britain. From the Lionesses’ call for equal access to football in schools, to the inclusive messages of campaigns like This Girl Can, sport tells stories about who we are and who belongs. But often, these stories have been narrow – privileging certain identities, metrics of success, and levels of visibility.

Cultural renewal in sport means amplifying different voices. It means acknowledging histories of exclusion, and actively building new traditions. Organisations like Pledgeball use storytelling to connect environmental awareness with fan identity. Meanwhile, Global Sustainable Sport plays an important role in reframing the purpose of sport and its global relevance – curating stories, sharing insights, and championing case studies that challenge traditional definitions of success and broaden the lens on what sport can contribute to society.

Sport and the arts also have much to offer each other. National and local museums, libraries and schools are increasingly recognising the role of sport in cultural memory and civic identity. Embedding sporting stories – including difficult ones – in education helps shape more empathetic and informed citizens.

Sport and Community

Anthropy Theme: Our Vibrant Places

Across the UK, sport remains one of the most effective and under-recognised tools for community resilience. A football pitch or a boxing gym can be a site of routine, safety, and possibility. Projects like Street League use sport as a gateway into employment and education. Others, like Chesterfield FC Community Trust, repurpose stadium space to host foodbanks, health services and learning centres.

The work of Plymouth Argyle in the community – from school engagement to support for people with disabilities – reflects how professional clubs can root themselves in place. Similarly, the Commonwealth Collective of volunteers at Birmingham 2022 showed how major events can nurture civic pride and active citizenship when planned with inclusion in mind.

Yet much of this work happens under the radar. Better measurement, recognition and support are needed to scale what works. This includes recognising the role of informal leadership – the parents who run Sunday morning fixtures, the neighbours who coach after work.

Community sport also strengthens local infrastructure. Parks, leisure centres and sports halls are not just recreational assets – they are civic anchors. Protecting and reimagining these spaces must be part of any serious agenda for rebuilding local life.

Conclusion

Sport is not a silver bullet. But across each of Anthropy’s 14 themes – from trust to well-being, from prosperity to community – it can offer tested, tangible tools. It builds connection, models leadership, hosts innovation, and tells stories that matter. For organisations present at Anthropy – including Global Sustainable Sport, Pledgeball, True Athlete, London Marathon Events, Plymouth Argyle, Air Aware Labs, Dons Local Action Group, and Responsible Sport – these are not abstract possibilities, but daily realities. Many others, too, are contributing impact in similar areas.

To reboot Britain means to invest not only in what’s broken, but in what already works. Sport is one of those things. With the right support, accountability, and imagination, it can help stitch together a more cohesive, healthy, and hopeful society – one where everyone has somewhere to go, something to do, and someone to trust.

Acknowledgement: This report was developed through a combination of human insight and AI-assisted research and writing tools, with input, reflection and final edits shaped by the author.

Edited on 25.04.2025 to include the a stand-alone Environment section in addition to the references threaded throughout the article.