Sports Buddies

Get Active. Make Friends. Have Fun.

Sports Buddies is a project that pairs people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people with volunteers who enjoy the same kinds of sport or exercise. Together, they meet regularly to build genuine friendships through shared physical activity, whether that’s a walk in the park, a kick-about, or a game of table tennis.

Launched in July 2021 and run by the team at Stay Up Late, Sports Buddies is all about fun, friendship, and fitness.

Sports Buddies follows the same principles as our successful Gig Buddies project. Instead of gigs and nights out, the focus is on getting active and enjoying sport or movement together.

Each buddy pair meets regularly, ideally for around an hour a week, or two hours every fortnight, to do something active they both enjoy. From football to yoga, martial arts to nature walks, the choice is entirely up to the buddies.

Matching – Our Sports Buddies Coordinator meets with both the participant and volunteer to learn about their interests and preferences
Buddy Pairing – We match people based on shared activity interests and location
Training – Volunteers receive specialist training to support accessible and inclusive sessions
Meet-ups – Buddy pairs meet weekly or fortnightly to enjoy their chosen activity
Events – Buddies can join our social events that bring the wider Gig and Sports Buddies community together.

We’re also building partnerships with small local sports clubs across East and West Sussex—especially in rural areas—to create more volunteering opportunities and connections.

During the pandemic, many people became more isolated and much less active. A survey of our Gig Buddies participants found:

87% said they were less physically active since lockdown
61% hadn’t done regular exercise since leaving school

People told us they didn’t know where to start, felt anxious about trying something new, or simply couldn’t get to the activities on offer.

Sports Buddies was created in response to provide a simple, supportive way to reconnect people to sport, social life, and improved wellbeing.

Anything that gets you moving! Some of the popular choices include:

Nature walks and park runs
Football or walking football
Table tennis
Dance or yoga
Martial arts
Gym sessions
Swimming
Anything else you both enjoy

If you live in Sussex and…

Have a learning disability or are autistic, and want to get more active
Or are looking to volunteer and share your love of sport or exercise

...then Sports Buddies could be a great fit for you!

Whether you're looking to make a new friend, try something new, or support someone to get active, we’d love to hear from you.

Ready to Get Involved?

Volunteer as a Sports Buddy

Although our Sports Buddies participant applications are closed due to funding, we still have plenty of people on a waiting list wanting a buddy. If you're friendly, reliable, and enjoy getting active—become a Sports Buddy and share your passion for movement with someone who needs support.

Join as a Participant

Unfortunately due to loss of funding we are unable to take on more Sports Buddies participants right now. We are hoping to open our Sports Buddies Participant applications when/ if the funding comes in.

Email: info@stayuplate.org
Phone: 07783 810036

Let’s get moving, together.

Sports Buddies Needs Your Help

Unfortunately, Sports Buddies recently lost its core funding. We’re actively seeking new partners and supporters to help keep the project going.

If you or your organisation would like to get involved, we’d love to talk. With your support, we can continue making a difference through sport, friendship, and community connection.