Lioness legend Chloe Kelly surprises girls’ football team with National Lottery funding boost
5th Tachwedd 2025
An after-school football session was stunned into silence and tears, when Lioness hero and England and Arsenal WFC star, Chloe Kelly, interrupted the game to reveal the news that the project would be awarded £8815 in National Lottery funding via Sport England. Saving Souls Hub, the grassroots sports organisation that runs the football sessions at the London school, is dedicated to promoting wellbeing through inclusive sporting activities for girls and women and celebrates the power of sport to bring communities together and support mental health.
The funding will be used to support Saving Soul Hub’s objective to develop non-committal, inclusive opportunities for girls to participate in sport, with a focus on wellbeing. It also includes educational components aimed at boys and men, encouraging greater appreciation and support for women’s sport in a respectful and inclusive environment.
Chloe knows all too well about the power of grassroots and community sport, having seen first hand the benefit of National Lottery funding in her own journey to being a Lioness. Her reflections described the importance of early support and the role community initiatives played in fostering her personal resilience and wellbeing.
National Lottery Ambassador, Chloe Kelly said, “I remember when my local club received National Lottery funding to upgrade our facilities and what a huge impact that grant made on my community. So, I know what a positive difference it will be for this next generation to benefit from funding, because of you – National Lottery players across the UK – and I can’t wait to watch them kick all their goals”.
Saving Souls Hub founder, Kerry Phillips, said, “We’re honoured to receive National Lottery funding support from Sport England, enabling us to continue giving girls and women a space to bond and play football. This investment allows us to continue to grow our programme to ensure this space can continue building girls’ confidence, their wellbeing is nurtured, and community is strengthened.
“Chloe Kelly’s surprise appearance was a powerful reminder of the impact of visibility and the importance of continued investment. She’s broken barriers in sport, reshaped how women's football is seen, and continues to uplift future talent. With the right support and funding, moments like these become truly transformative for girls like ours.”
Simon Hayes, CEO of Sport England said: “All women and girls should enjoy the physical, mental and social benefits of sport and physical activity. But the gender activity gap is stubborn, and too many are missing out. That’s why organisations like Saving Souls Hub are so important, especially for girls and women who are often overlooked and feel excluded from sport.
“We’re thrilled that Chloe Kelly, once a beneficiary herself, is inspiring the next generation by embodying just how powerful the impact of funding from National Lottery players can be. Since 1994, we’ve proudly awarded more than £6 billion of Lottery funding to community sport groups across the UK.”
The announcement forms part of The National Lottery's "Because of You" campaign, fronted by Claudia Winkleman, celebrating brilliant projects run by extraordinary people which continue to change lives every day.
More projects are set to be surprised across the community, heritage, arts and sport sectors across the next month ahead of The National Lottery’s 31st Birthday in November.
Since National Lottery funding began in 1994 more than 650,000 projects have been funded with the astonishing over £50BN raised by players with a little pink ticket or Scratchcard. Every week, on average, National Lottery players raise more than £30M which fund projects across every postcode area in the UK.
