Former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate has warned that families are struggling to afford sports kit, preventing children from participating in PE lessons and other activities. He cautioned that this economic pressure risks youngsters spending excessive time in front of screens rather than being active outdoors, noting it is a "difficult time where economically a lot of families are struggling." Southgate made these comments while promoting The Multibank charity campaign, which helps UK families access vital items, including sports equipment.
In an exclusive interview with the Press Association, Sir Gareth said: "We're talking about participation in PE lessons, in being able to play sport. Unfortunately, some families are really challenged on that – they can't afford to buy kit. Very often people have to make a really horrible decision between essentials, groceries or spending on what for a lot of people aren't luxury items, but can be in terms of football boots, trainers, sports kit."
Sir Gareth, who was England manager from 2016 to 2024, added: "In a time when there's a risk kids end up in front of screens a lot of the time – to be active and outside is really important. Every child deserves the right to play sport. It's important for them physically. There are so many other aspects to playing sport that are helpful."
Sir Gareth said he was approached to take part in the campaign by former prime minister Gordon Brown, who is president of The Multibank charity. The former Middlesbrough defender said: "The fact that Multibank is allowing some families that are having to make that really difficult decision on where they are able to invest their money is a real plus from the scheme. There are essentials that end up going to waste and so being able to repurpose them in this way benefits everybody."
Sir Gareth was knighted after leading England to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the Euro 2020 final, the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, and the Euro 2024 final.
The Multibank, supported by principal partner Amazon, distributes surplus goods donated by businesses to families in need through a nationwide network of charities and community organisations. Amazon is launching a new initiative where every third purchase of selected sports products will be matched with a donation to The Multibank from May 7 to June 4.
The campaign comes as new YouGov data revealed around one in six parents (15%) said their children have had to give up their sporting ambitions as they cannot afford the kit or equipment to take part. The data, from a sample of 6451 adults taken last month, revealed that around three in four parents (72%) of children aged four to 18 believe a lack of access to sports equipment leads to fewer opportunities for those from lower-income families. Two in five parents (40%) with gross household income under £30,000 cited football as the main activity they had to give up, the study found.
Alongside everyday essentials such as toiletries, nappies and household items, some of the most commonly requested items at Multibanks include football boots, sports kit, and toys. The Multibank has distributed more than 16 million items to support over two million families in need across the UK.
