SPIRE was born out of Loughborough University London, where a group of Professors, lecturers and doctoral researchers shared a passion for using sport as a vehicle for positive change. Drawing from our academic roots in the globally recognised Sport for Development field, we created SPIRE to bridge the gap between research, practice and policy, providing a platform that brings stakeholders together under one collaborative vision.
Today, SPIRE is a global collective of researchers, practitioners, and strategists working across the UK, US, Asia and beyond. Our team brings deep expertise across youth violence prevention, modern slavery, refugee and displacement contexts, violent extremism, post-conflict development, and community capacity building. We support sport-based organisations on the ground and advise those shaping systems around them, offering rigorous evidence, meaningful insight and practical tools to help sport unlock its full potential as a force for prevention, intervention and sustainable change.
Our Story
Sport is more than play and competition, it’s a vehicle for connection, growth and transformation. In communities affected by inequality, conflict or adversity, sport can provide stability, belonging and purpose. It has the unique ability to engage those most at risk, break down barriers and builds essential life skills that endure far beyond the pitch or playground. Whether through boxing, football, dance or cricket, sport creates space for resilience and healing - especially when intentionally designed with development and wellbeing in mind.
WHY Sport?
From early years development to youth violence prevention, we work with organisations that use sport to reach people at the critical moments of their lives, providing trusted relationships, protective environments and pathways to a more hopeful future. By embedding sport within broader social development systems, we support holistic, community-led responses to complex issues.
How we can Help
Behind every programme is a story and behind every story, the need for evidence. We believe that robust, ethical research is essential not only to validate the incredible work already being done, but to shape more impactful, equitable futures. By documenting outcomes, surfacing best practices and amplifying local voices, we help practitioners, policymakers and funders make better-informed decisions. Our work brings lived realities into focus, ensuring that sport-based interventions are recognised, resourced, and continually improved for those who need them most.