SportInspired are delighted to announce that women’s rugby stars Celia Quansah and Megan Jones – teammates at England sevens, Team GB sevens and Wasps – have joined the team as charity ambassadors.

The pair made headlines earlier this year as a same-sex couple representing Britain at the Tokyo Olympics, championing inclusion and openness in sport. Now, the couple have committed to supporting SportInspired in their mission to bring sport to all children living in deprivation, no matter their background or circumstance.

Quansah and Jones have a passion for making sport inclusive and available to all, with a particular focus on increasing girls’ participation in rugby. The pair will attend SportInspired multi-sports festivals, meeting the charity’s beneficiaries and helping children from deprived areas to enjoy being active.

“When we first contacted Celia and Megan, it became very apparent that they share many of the same values as we do, and have a desire to help us break down the barriers currently preventing children in deprivation from playing sport,” said Richard Raynes, CEO of SportInspired.

He continued: “As a charity we believe that if all children had the chance to have fun, express themselves and not hold back, their futures would be drastically healthier and happier. We hope that children can be inspired by Celia and Megan’s openness, bravery and success.”

Both athletes have championed the role of sports in developing self confidence and courage in their early development.

They said: “SportInspired is exactly what the both of us are about. We have a wider goal and a personal legacy to fulfil in inspiring the next generation. The infectious energy and commitment Richard and the team have makes the vision a lot clearer. Our passion and love for the sport is what helped us overcome so many barriers, but also shaped us into the driven, hardworking and resilient people we are. We’re looking forward to working together to create more and more opportunity.” 

There are currently 4.1 million children living in poverty in the UK. These children face a higher chance of mental health issues and obesity, as well as a higher risk of anti-social behaviour and dangerous life choices. For many, sports clubs are simply out of reach due to costs or access.

SportInspired run free sports development programmes in the UK’s deprived areas, helping children to increase confidence and wellbeing through finding sports they enjoy. For more information, please visit our latest campaign page here.