Former England netball captain Ama Agbeze said sport can keep young people away from gangs and improve their mental health.
The 36-year-old, who led the England team to a Commonwealth Games gold medal in Australia last year, has spent years going to schools, youth centres and workplaces to encourage at-risk young people to take up team sports.
She told the Standard: “I think sport is amazing at unlocking potential and also giving people something to do. You meet people, you engage, and it potentially takes people off the streets.”
Agbeze has teamed up with charity Greenhouse Sports — which uses sports coaching to “decrease gang involvement and improve health”.
The Invest In Our Champions event runs until Friday in Spitalfields Market
