Every Family Matters | Viva Gymnastics Club

Every Family Matters 2026-2028

"Together, we can remove barriers, strengthen families, and give every child the opportunity to shine."

Every Family Matters 2026–2028 outlines the next stage in the development of the Every Child Matters initiative, written and delivered by Viva Gymnastics Club. The programme has grown from a focus on supporting individual children into a broader commitment to supporting whole families. It recognises that children’s ability to take part in positive activities is often shaped by the wider circumstances around them, including financial pressure, family wellbeing, access to transport, social isolation, and the availability of practical support.

This comprehensive programme is designed to improve access to gymnastics sessions for children while taking a proactive, compassionate, and inclusive approach to the economic and social challenges affecting everyday family life. By reducing barriers to participation, Viva Gymnastics Club aims to ensure that children can continue to experience the confidence, discipline, resilience, friendship, and sense of belonging that gymnastics can provide.

Through subsidised sessions, outreach with charitable organisations, stronger links with schools, and the development of meaningful community partnerships, Every Family Matters aims to build a stronger network of support around families who may be facing hardship. The programme also seeks to create a trusted and welcoming environment where families feel able to ask for help without stigma, judgement, or unnecessary barriers.

At its heart, Every Family Matters is about more than access to sport. It is about recognising the link between children’s opportunities and family circumstances, and responding in ways that are practical, respectful, and community-focused. By working towards the shared goal of supporting families, the programme aims to help children remain active, connected, and confident while strengthening the wider community around them.

Supporting Evidence

The need for Every Family Matters is supported by national and local evidence showing that many children and families continue to face financial pressure, barriers to activity, and wider wellbeing challenges. These figures help explain why accessible, community-based support is important.

In the UK, around 4.3 million children were living in poverty in 2022/23, meaning approximately three in every ten children were affected.
In 2024–25, Sport England reported that only 49% of children and young people in England met the Chief Medical Officers’ guideline of an average of 60 minutes of physical activity per day.
Portsmouth City Council’s cost-of-living data highlights continuing local pressures, including increased food bank use and fuel poverty affecting some households.
In March 2025, the Office for National Statistics reported that 66% of adults in Great Britain said their cost of living had increased in the previous month, while 23% said they would be unable to pay an unexpected but necessary expense of £850.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation data shows that many low-income households continue to go without essentials, with food, heating, clothing, and basic household needs remaining major pressures.
Trussell’s Hunger in the UK 2025 report found that 14.1 million people were food insecure in 2024, with one in six households affected and 6.5 million people turning to charitable food providers.
Portsmouth City Council reported that 7,600 vouchers were fulfilled by Portsmouth Food Bank in 2022/23, a 51% increase from 2021/22, and that 11.8% of Portsmouth households were classified as fuel poor based on 2021 data.
Together, this evidence shows the importance of programmes that reduce financial barriers, support participation, and connect families with practical help.

Key Objectives

The key objectives for Every Family Matters 2026–2028 set out how Viva Gymnastics Club will deliver meaningful, measurable support for children and families. These objectives will guide programme planning, partnership development, funding decisions, and ongoing evaluation.

Establish a clear referral and application process so that families experiencing financial hardship can access subsidised gymnastics sessions fairly and confidentially.
Develop partnerships with local charities, schools, family support services, and community organisations to identify families who may benefit from the programme.
Secure funding, sponsorship, grants, or donations to support reduced-cost places and ensure the programme remains sustainable throughout 2026–2028.
Provide a welcoming and inclusive gymnastics environment where children feel safe, encouraged, and able to progress at their own pace.
Monitor participation, attendance, and family feedback to assess the impact of the programme and identify areas for improvement.
Promote the programme within the local community to raise awareness, encourage support, and strengthen collaboration around family wellbeing.
Review the programme annually to ensure it continues to respond to the financial, social, and practical needs of local families.

Why the Programme Has Evolved

Viva Gymnastics Club is committed to supporting the wider social, emotional, and family wellbeing of the communities it serves. This means recognising not only financial hardship, but also the broader pressures families may face, including economic uncertainty, social isolation, accessibility needs, and the importance of inclusion.

The original Every Child Matters initiative focused primarily on subsidising gymnastics sessions for families for a range of reasons, including economic difficulty and financial hardship. Through this work, Viva Gymnastics Club developed a wider understanding of the challenges families experience and recognised the need to take a broader, more practical approach to support. The Every Family Matters initiative builds on this learning by not only continuing to provide subsidised access to gymnastics, but also by looking at ways to help families with the real, everyday struggles they may be facing.

During the Every Child Matters programme, Viva Gymnastics Club has worked with a range of charities supporting children with special educational needs, children affected by domestic violence, and families displaced due to domestic violence. These partnerships have shown that, while access to gymnastics can give children the opportunity to learn, grow, make friendships, and build positive relationships, subsidised sessions alone do not address every challenge families face. For some families, immediate concerns such as providing meals, managing household costs, or sustaining even reduced session fees remain very real barriers.

By listening to families and partner organisations, Viva Gymnastics Club began to shape more practical forms of support. For example, during camp sessions delivered with a charity supporting families displaced by domestic violence, the club initially offered to provide food during the day. However, one family explained that it would be even more helpful to receive food they could take away. In response, and in partnership with the charity, the club provided dinner bags containing a healthy family meal for four, alongside a treat bag with fruit, dried fruit, biscuits, crisps, chocolate, and familiar snacks for the children.

The feedback from families was extremely positive. One supported parent described how the gesture made her feel “normal” at a time when everything else felt abnormal. She explained that, while she appreciated all forms of support, there can still be stigma attached to certain foods or lower-cost alternatives, particularly when children notice the difference from what they were used to before their circumstances changed. Being able to offer familiar snacks and small comforts helped restore a sense of dignity, reassurance, and normality. This experience reinforced the importance of Every Family Matters as a programme that responds to families as whole people, not only as participants in sport.

Funding Allocation

During the Every Child Matters funding and allocation process, Viva Gymnastics Club used a points-based system to assess applications and allocate support fairly. Financial and economic hardship formed an important part of the assessment, but the process also took a more holistic view of each family’s circumstances.

This approach considered wider factors such as bereavement, life-limiting illness, special educational needs, and additional pressures within the household. By recognising these circumstances alongside financial need, the programme aimed to give families the best possible opportunity to access subsidised sessions in a way that was inclusive, fair, and affordable.

The point allocation system below sets out the criteria used to assess applications and determine the level of support available to each family.

- Household income below £8,067 per year per adult with parental responsibility = 25% reduction in cost

- Any of the following income-related benefits: child tax credits, working tax credits, pension credits = an extra 10%

- In receipt of free school meals = a further 10%

- In receipt of disability living allowance (lower, middle, and higher rate) = a further reduction

- In the process of or on the pathway to being fully diagnosed with any special educational needs = a further 10%

- Any child in the household diagnosed with a long-term health condition that impacts their quality of life = 10%

- Anyone in the household who receives a carer allowance for another member of the household, including children registered as carers for their parents or siblings = 10%

- Any child who has a parent or guardian in incarceration = 10%

- Any child who has a parent or guardian in the armed forces = 10%

- Any child who has a parent or sibling with a life-limiting health condition = 10%

- Any child who has a life-limiting health condition = 10%

- Any household currently going through the bereavement of a household member and receiving support from specialist groups = 10%

- Any child receiving mental health support for themselves or their siblings through the child and adolescent mental health services = 10%

Over time, Viva Gymnastics Club identified barriers within the previous allocation system. Although offering several separate discounts was intended to make support more flexible and accessible, it also created some confusion. Families were not always clear about which forms of support applied to them, whether they were eligible for additional subsidy, or how to request further financial help. In some cases, families may also have felt uncomfortable or embarrassed about asking for more support.

While recognising needs beyond economic hardship remains a core principle of the programme, the funding process now needs to be simpler and easier for families to understand. By streamlining the allocations and offering a larger, clearer discount, families can feel more confident in accessing the support that is most relevant to their circumstances.

Clearer eligibility criteria, making it easier for families to understand what support is available.
A simpler application process, reducing confusion and the need for families to request multiple forms of help.
Greater confidence for families when accessing financial support, with less stigma or embarrassment attached.
Fairer and more consistent allocation of funding across different family circumstances.
A more practical and sustainable approach that allows Viva Gymnastics Club to support families more effectively.

Viva Gymnastics Club also recognised that families applying for Every Child Matters could feel uncertain about the level of support available to them. Changes to welfare rules, benefit eligibility, and government policy can affect families’ circumstances quickly, making it difficult for them to feel confident that their subsidised place will remain affordable over time.

For some families, a change from a 50% reduction to a 25% reduction because of changes in legislation or eligibility criteria could have an immediate and significant impact on household finances. In some cases, this could create further barriers to a child continuing to access gymnastics. To reduce this uncertainty, Viva Gymnastics Club intends to move towards a clearer flat-rate discount of 25% for eligible two-hour gymnastics plans at either Viva Gymnastics site. This simpler approach means families will no longer need to meet several separate criteria to access meaningful support. If a change in legislation means a family is no longer eligible under one benefit-related criterion, they may still qualify under another relevant criterion. This helps reduce anxiety for families and provides greater confidence that their subsidised session fee will not change unexpectedly because of welfare or policy changes outside their control.

How We Move Forward

Every Family Matters will move forward by offering an immediate 25% reduction for families experiencing financial or economic hardship. This core discount will apply to a wider range of circumstances, including:

Families with a joint household income of less than £25,000 per year.
Families receiving New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Families receiving Personal Independence Payment.
Families receiving Employment and Support Allowance.
Families receiving Disability Living Allowance.

Additional top-up support for Day Sessions may also be considered for families with further needs, including:

Families receiving Carer’s Allowance.
Families receiving Universal Credit.
Families with a child with special educational needs.
Families who have experienced bereavement.
Families supporting a child with a life-limiting condition.
Families with parents or guardians in the Armed Forces.
Families is currently in shelters or relocated due to domestic violence

Additional top-up support for Day camps and food provision recognises that Viva Gymnastics Club runs regular evening sessions for around 48 weeks of the year, which works well for many families during term time. However, school holidays can create additional pressure. During half terms and the summer holidays, children are not in school and may miss out on the structure, supervision, and meals they would normally receive during the school day, including free school dinners where they are eligible.

National evidence shows why this matters. The House of Commons Library reported that, in 2023/24, 18% of children in the UK were living in food-insecure households. The Food Foundation also reported that, in January 2025, 18% of households with children experienced food insecurity. Child Poverty Action Group has highlighted that around one third of school-age children in poverty in England miss out on free school meals because of restrictive eligibility rules. These figures show that many children are already at risk of not having consistent access to nutritious food, and that this risk can increase during school holidays when school meals are not available.

Missing meals can affect more than hunger. Research briefings for Parliament note that childhood food insecurity is linked with poorer physical health, dental health, mental wellbeing, concentration, and educational outcomes. Evidence reviewed by the Education Endowment Foundation also indicates that nutritious breakfast provision can support attainment, with one evaluation finding an average of two months’ additional progress for pupils in Key Stage 1. For Viva Gymnastics Club, this reinforces the importance of ensuring that children attending longer daytime sessions are fed, settled, and able to take part fully.

Viva Gymnastics Club offers day camp holiday sessions during half terms and summer holidays, providing longer daytime sessions of up to six hours. These sessions can provide safe, active, and structured childcare at times when families may be balancing work, childcare costs, and the additional cost of feeding children at home. Where possible, lunch will be provided during daytime camps, including a hot meal during the winter months.

Families meeting one of the additional top-up criteria may receive a further 10% discount on applicable daytime camp sessions.
Families meeting more than one additional top-up criterion may receive a further 20% discount on applicable daytime camp sessions.
These discounts cannot be used alongside early-bird offers or other promotional discounts.
The purpose of the discount is to make holiday camp places more affordable and flexible, allowing families to book when they are financially able to do so.

In addition to supporting lunch during the camp day, Viva Gymnastics Club may also provide a free dinner bag for families accessing this additional top-up support. Each dinner bag will be designed to provide a meal for a family of four to take home. This means the support does not stop when the child leaves camp: it helps ensure that the child has eaten during the day and that the family has access to a healthy evening meal as well.

This approach supports dignity, health, and inclusion. It helps reduce the pressure on parents during school holidays, provides children with food they can rely on, and allows children to take part in positive physical activity without hunger becoming a barrier to enjoyment, concentration, or wellbeing.

How we plan to sustain funding

Viva Gymnastics Club recognises that, for Every Family Matters to achieve its intended outreach, the funding model must remain sustainable, fair, and transparent.

As a charity, the club must ensure that subsidised places are used to help as many children and families as possible. The funding is designed to remove barriers to participation, not to cover additional or advanced training costs.

To keep the programme fair and financially sustainable, subsidised sessions will be limited to a two-hour gymnastics plan. Families may choose to request additional training hours for their children, but these extra hours will not be funded through Every Family Matters.

Funding cannot be used to cover 100% of costs for any individual child, and it cannot be applied to performance or advanced training plans.

Three-hour progression, development, or artistic squad plans.
Three-hour tumble plans or tumble squad plans.
Six-hour, nine-hour, or fourteen-hour artistic squad plans.
Any progression or advanced gymnastics session.
Travel cost to competitions.
Accommodation for a competition.
Covers the cost of any tracksuits or leotards required for competition.
Training aids.

This approach ensures that support remains focused on access and inclusion. By limiting funding to core participation, Viva Gymnastics Club can maintain a fair allocation process and support a greater number of children across the community.

The Every Child Matters and Every Family Matters funding does not prevent or limit Viva Gymnastics Club, as a charity, from providing its own additional financial assistance to families. Where appropriate, and depending on individual circumstances, Viva Gymnastics Club may choose to offer further subsidy alongside these funding arrangements, including support of up to 100% of session fees. Any decision to provide additional charity-funded assistance must be agreed by all trustees involved and assessed in line with the club’s charitable purposes, available resources, and duty to allocate support fairly. Viva Gymnastics club is not required to offer any further subsidise refund funding on top of any every child matters or every family matters application.

Application Process

Viva Gymnastics Club has learned that the application process needs to be clear, accessible, and easy for families to complete. The previous process took longer than expected to develop and share with the wider community. It also highlighted some barriers that may prevent families from applying, including limited access to technology and difficulties understanding forms when English is not a first language.

To make the process more inclusive, the updated application form will be made available in several ways:

The application form will be available on the Viva Gymnastics Club website.
Families who have already made contact through the HAF scheme will be emailed the form directly, as many may meet similar eligibility criteria.
Local schools will be contacted so they can help families access the application through school or online.
The application will be shown with local children's charities.
Paper copies will be made available for families who cannot apply online.
Drop-in sessions will be offered at the club, where a dedicated member of staff can support families to complete the form.

The application form will be designed to collect the information needed while using clear and accessible language. This will help families understand the questions, including those using translation tools or needing additional support to complete the application.

Impacts on the Community

Every Family Matters has the potential to make a significant and lasting positive impact across Portsmouth and the wider community. By looking at the bigger picture and supporting families as a whole, the programme aims to strengthen relationships, reduce pressure on parents, and improve opportunities for children.

The programme recognises that access to gymnastics is an important first step, but that many families may need wider support to help them stay involved. Through positive relationships, practical help, and a welcoming club environment, Viva Gymnastics Club aims to build trust with families and offer support that responds to real-life needs.

Key community impacts include:

Helping children access positive sporting opportunities that support confidence, friendships, life skills, and physical and mental wellbeing.
Reducing financial pressure on families so they are not forced to choose between essentials such as food, clothing, prescriptions, and children’s activities.
Strengthening trust between families and Viva Gymnastics Club, creating opportunities for further support where appropriate.
Building stronger community connections by working with families, schools, charities, and local support organisations.
Creating a more inclusive model of support that adapts to the changing needs of local families rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

By becoming a hub of practical, compassionate, and innovative support, Viva Gymnastics Club can help create bridges rather than barriers. The programme will continue to evolve with the needs of the community, ensuring that support remains relevant, accessible, and meaningful for the families who need it most.

Future Goals and Expansion

Viva Gymnastics Club has learned important lessons from the Every Child Matters initiative, particularly the need for flexibility, reflection, and continued growth. As Every Family Matters develops, the programme must keep moving forward by regularly reviewing the application process, listening to families, seeking honest feedback, and taking responsibility when improvements are needed.

The programme will continue to evolve so it can respond to the changing needs of local families. Today, this may mean subsidised gymnastics sessions and food support. In the future, it could include connecting families with outreach services, providing winter clothing, offering practical support during illness, creating summer family fun days, or opening the club as a warm space with hot food and drinks during colder months.

The long-term goal is to build a programme that families can rely on: one that listens, adapts, and responds with practical, compassionate support when it is needed most. Every Family Matters will continue to place families at the centre of its work, helping to remove barriers, protect children’s opportunities, and strengthen the wider community

Conclusion

Every Family Matters 2026–2028 represents Viva Gymnastics Club’s continued commitment to supporting children, families, and the wider community. Building on the learning from Every Child Matters, the programme aims to remove barriers, improve access to gymnastics, and respond more meaningfully to the real pressures families face.

By combining subsidised sessions with practical support, strong partnerships, and a more accessible application process, Every Family Matters will help ensure that children are not excluded from positive opportunities because of financial hardship or wider family circumstances. The programme places dignity, inclusion, and compassion at the heart of its work.

As the programme develops, Viva Gymnastics Club will continue to listen, adapt, and work collaboratively with families and community partners. Every Family Matters is not only about access to sport; it is about creating a supportive community where children can thrive, families feel valued, and help is available when it is needed most.

Call to action: Families who may benefit from support, and schools, charities, or community partners who work with families facing hardship, are encouraged to contact Viva Gymnastics Club to find out more about Every Family Matters, discuss available support, and help ensure that every child has the opportunity to take part.

Together, we can remove barriers, strengthen families, and give every child the opportunity to shine.