Greater Manchester Sports Club Conference 2025

Calling all Grassroots Sports Clubs and Groups in Greater Manchester!

Join us for Greater Manchester Moving’s very first Sports Club Conference – a day to connect, learn and be inspired with others who help keep grassroots sport alive and thriving.

We know how hard you work behind the scenes to run your club – whether you’re a coach, on the committee, or helping with anything in between. This event is for you.

Event Details:

Date: Sunday 2 November 2025

Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University, Institute of Sport Building, 99 Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 7EL

Cost: £5 per person

Who can attend: Anyone involved in running a grassroots sports club in Greater Manchester.

Maximum two people per club. This is to give as many clubs as possible the chance to join.

What to expect:

We asked clubs across Greater Manchester what they'd like to see at the conference – and we’ve shaped the day around that feedback.

Agenda:

• 10:00 – 10:30am: Arrival, refreshments & networking
• 10:30 – 11:15am: Welcome and opening talks(Hayley Lever, CEO at GM Moving, and Rosie Benson, Head of Clubs at Sport England)
• 11:15 – 12:15pm: Keynote Speaker – Karen Leach
• 12:15 – 1:00pm: Lunch and networking
• 1:00 – 2:00pm: Workshop 1 (choose your topic when you book)
• 2:10 – 3:10pm: Workshop 2 (choose your topic when you book)
• 3:20 – 4:00pm: What’s next and closing session

Workshops have been planned based directly on the feedback from the 120 people who completed the Sports Club Survey throughout August.

Workshop options include (select at time of booking):

• Understanding the funding landscape and introduction to Sport England's Movement Fund
• Creating an inclusive environment
• Engaging your community
• Funding Application Support Clinic
• Networking. This is your Opportunity to engage with partners and other clubs

Why you should attend

• Meet and connect with other clubs doing amazing work
• Hear from inspiring speakers and leaders in sport
• Chat to partners who may be able to support your club
• Choose workshops that matter to your club
• Discover practical tools and new ideas
• Be part of a movement for safer, stronger community sport

Book your spot now

Spaces are limited. We can’t wait to see you there.

Beyond our sports club conference we will be planning further workshops and training opportunities to support clubs as well as sharing information of many of our partners.

Let’s build a stronger, safer, and more connected grassroots sport community together across Greater Manchester.

Learn more about our Keynote Speaker, Karen Leach: Expert by Lived Experience

For the past 18 years, Karen has been campaigning; she has become one of the leading Voices in International work against sexual abuse and harassment in sport across the world. Safe Sport Advocate; VOICE Ambassador (Voices for Truth and Dignity Combating Sexual Violence in European Sport through the Voices of Those affected), Sport England Safeguarding Advisory Panel, Council of Europe, Pool of European Experts on Sexual Violence in Sport, International Safeguarding Consultant, Psychotherapist, Facilitator, Moderator, 2021 Winner Mental Health Media Awards Ireland - Mental Health Content Special Interest Award, 2024 Winner One Child International –Child Protection award.

As a child, Karen was recognized as a talented swimmer with strong aspirations and a realistic chance of representing Ireland at the Olympic Games. Between the ages of 10 and 17, Karen spent endless hours in the swimming pool. During this time, Karen was routinely abused by her coach.

Since the publication of Karen’s lived experience in the book Deep Deception, Irelands Swimming Scandals. Karen has been speaking out across the world, advocating on behalf of children, young people, adults at risk, and athletes at every level.

She is working to create a greater level of awareness to encourage safer spaces for everyone at risk in sport, working regularly with international organizations in an advisory role, public speaking capacities, facilitating group work, and moderating events across the world.

As a psychotherapist; Karen has supported those who have suffered abuse. Athletes across the world contact Karen to share their lived experiences of abuse in their sport. From this and her own experiences, Karen now finds herself speaking out, standing up for people with lived experience, who have become safe sport advocates, and how they are being treated by the world of sport.

At the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires, Karen spoke at the first ever Olympism in Action forum, she assisted the International Olympic Committee in educating athletes and entourage members about this important topic