Coca-Cola Puts Neighbourhood Sport In The Picture

Coca-Cola Great Britain is launching a new campaign on 96-sheet billboards to raise awareness of its partnership with StreetGames, the charity that provides access to doorstep sport for young people in disadvantaged communities around the UK.

To mark the partnership, Coca-Cola GB has commissioned a series of photographs featuring inspiring young people from StreetGames sport projects in England and Wales.

The images, shot by leading portrait photographer Zak Waters, feature the young people showcasing sport in their local area.  Those taking centre-stage range from footballers to dancers to BMX riders, all chosen because they have an inspirational personal story about how StreetGames has played a positive role in their lives.

The images will be turned into a series of 96-sheet billboards and displayed in the subjects’ home cities throughout August and September, coinciding with a schedule of mass-participation StreetGames sports festivals running around the UK during the summer. The Festivals are open to StreetGames participants who attend regular weekly sessions and are a way of rewarding their attendance while also encouraging them to bring new friends to join in. 

The billboard sites have been donated to the StreetGames campaign by Coca-Cola GB and are more usually reserved for images of their roster of elite athletes. The shots aim to inspire other young people to find out more and get involved with their local StreetGames projects.  The chosen StreetGames participants’ stories will be brought to life through a national and regional PR campaign.

More photos highlighting the flavour of local StreetGames projects will be turned into mini exhibitions in the six major cities and an online gallery of the entire project will be showcased on www.coca-cola.co.uk/health/streetgames and www.streetgames.org.

Liz Lowe, Citizenship Manager, Coca-Cola Great Britain, said: “StreetGames does some exceptional work in bringing sport and dance more readily into teenagers’ lives by placing it at the heart of their communities.  By making it open to all, they’re giving young people the chance to enjoy a whole raft of benefits that an active lifestyle brings, like friendship, better health and increased confidence.

“We’re helping StreetGames reach out to communities and one of the things we wanted to do was to celebrate the achievements of some of the young people who have been involved. They really deserve to be the heroes of our campaign. We’ve chosen six but there are thousands of young people all with their own stories to tell of how getting involved in sport can change lives.”
Jane Ashworth OBE, CEO of StreetGames, added: “StreetGames is improving the sporting landscape for young people living in disadvantaged communities. We want to ensure that everyone is able to benefit from the benefits of regular sports participation regardless of their social circumstances.

“At StreetGames we’re delighted that our partnership with Coca-Cola Great Britain is allowing us to highlight the remarkable young people who shine, week in week out, at our projects. Our work with Coca-Cola Great Britain is improving the quality of doorstep sport through training and education. This gives coaches, volunteers and mentors the skills to grow and sustain sports participation in deprived communities.”