ESR decided that for our first year choosing a charity partner that we would put it to the Company employee vote. The company were looking to support a children/younger persons charity and Youth Sport Trust won the vote on the day.

Youth Sport Trust is the leading UK children's charity for improving young people's health and wellbeing through sport and play. We are fundraising to support the vital work being delivered by Youth Sport Trust to help to reclaim play and sport in children's lives.

Children in the UK are:

Unhappier - 20.3% of children aged 8 to 16 in England have a probable mental health disorder in 2023

Unhealthier - 23.4% of year six and 10.1% of reception children in England are obese and rates are higher than before the pandemic

More distracted - 78% of parents believe that children are spending too much time online and not enough time with each other in person

Young people who have been on a Youth Sport Trust programme are:

Engaged - 82% of programme participants report improved school engagement

Resilient - 73% of programme participants report improved resilience

Confident - 76% of programme participants report improved confidence

Together we can build a brighter future where every child enjoys the life-changing benefits of play and sport