We, the undersigned, call on the London Borough of Bexley to support Bexley Tigers Basketball Club in securing a permanent venue within the borough — one that includes at minimum two full-sized basketball courts.

 

Bexley Tigers is one of the largest grassroots community basketball clubs in London, with over 600 active members. We are a Basketball England-affiliated club proudly based in the London Borough of Bexley, and we hold the distinction of being the only Level 2 Basketball England accredited club in London and one of only six such clubs in the entire country (https://basketballengland.co.uk/get-involved/clubs/basketball-england-affiliated-l1-l2-clubs). We are also proud winners of the Basketball England Best Community Basketball Club of the Year in our region — recognition of the standard we hold ourselves to and the impact we continue to deliver.

 

The majority of our players and staff come from non-white backgrounds — the demographic that statistics consistently show has the lowest rates of participation in recreational sport. Alongside this, we proudly support a thriving girls' programme and teams spanning every age group, from as young as 3 years old through to adults, fostering a lifelong love of basketball and community involvement.

Beyond the game itself, Bexley Tigers delivers a wide range of community programmes that make a tangible difference to young people across the borough:

• Tigers Officials Academy — a structured pathway helping young people gain nationally recognised qualifications in refereeing, table officiating, coaching, and statistics. We support graduates with CV building and actively help them find paid employment, turning a love of basketball into real career opportunities and earnings.
• RiseUp Mentoring — supporting young people through everyday life, using basketball as a tool for personal development, resilience, and growth.
• PlayOn — a free basketball programme removing financial barriers and ensuring players from underprivileged backgrounds can participate fully in the sport.
• Count Me In — a numeracy programme helping young people who struggle with maths to engage with mathematical concepts in a fun, basketball-based environment.
• Read the Game — a literacy programme combining basketball with reading and language skills, making learning accessible and enjoyable.
• Tigers Community Hub — our most popular initiative, running every weekend across multiple sites in the borough. Young people can simply turn up, enjoy a safe and welcoming environment, make friends, and experience basketball with music, good vibes, and a genuine sense of belonging.
• Bexley Schools Basketball League — a borough-wide league covering both primary and secondary schools across the London Borough of Bexley, providing structured competitive opportunities for young people who may never have played the sport before (https://bexleybasketball.co.uk

Despite our reach, our impact, and our national recognition, Bexley Tigers currently has no permanent home. Throughout our history, we have moved repeatedly from venue to venue — driven by rising costs and facilities redirecting their space to other activities. This instability limits our ability to plan, grow, and serve our community to the fullest. Over 600 active members participate weekly, the vast majority of whom live, work, and attend school within the borough.

 

Basketball is the second most popular team sport in the UK after football (https://www.sportengland.org/new-era-english-basketball). According to Sport England's latest Active Lives Survey, 1.18 million children and young people play basketball weekly — the highest figure in five years. Participation has grown notably across school years and ethnic groups, reflecting basketball's unique ability to engage diverse communities and promote inclusivity and equal opportunity.

 

This momentum has been recognised at the highest levels of London government. The Mayor's Basketball Taskforce was established in autumn 2024 following discussions between the Mayor of London and NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, with the purpose of growing the game of basketball across the capital. The Taskforce is guided by three core objectives: growing the game sustainably by developing pathways for emerging talent and enhancing local infrastructure; attracting world-class events; and creating positive opportunities for young Londoners through grassroots activity that supports youth safety, employability, and wellbeing (https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/sport/mayors-london-basketball-taskforce).

The Taskforce's inaugural Basketball in London: The State of Play report — published January 2026 — identifies infrastructure as the most pressing challenge facing the sport, with nearly half of respondents rating current facilities below average, and an estimated 80–90% of public courts in disrepair. One of the report's ten strategic recommendations calls specifically for boroughs to support basketball inclusion in local urban development, sport, and physical activity strategies. Bexley Tigers is precisely the kind of club this agenda exists to support — and the London Borough of Bexley has a clear opportunity to play its part.

 

Our club plays a crucial role in keeping young people active, engaged, and connected — teaching discipline, leadership, and teamwork in a structured, supportive environment. Basketball delivers significant mental and physical health benefits, helping children and young people feel more confident, less isolated, and better equipped for life.

 

The London Borough of Bexley has dedicated venues for a wide range of sports. It is time for basketball — and the hundreds of young people who depend on it in this borough — to have a dedicated space as well.

 

Securing a permanent venue would allow us to consolidate and expand our programmes, giving them a stable base from which to grow. This directly aligns with the council's commitments to extending sports facilities, nurturing community-based sports projects, and encouraging participation among underrepresented groups. Addressing poor activity rates among the 16–34 age group and non-white communities is essential for improving long-term health outcomes across the borough.

 

Please sign this petition to support Bexley Tigers Basketball Club in finding a permanent home. Your support will help us provide a safe, enriching, and inspiring space where our community's young people can truly thrive.