Danos Group 2023 Challenge for Charity Triathlon

This year the Danos Group team are embarking on a new challenge for charity and have signed up for the iconic Blenheim Palace Triathlon. We will use this event to raise funds for our charity partner, the Doverhouse Lions FC, a community Youth, Adult, Girls, & Disability Football Club based at the Roehampton Playing Fields Trust in southwest London.

In January 2022, we were saddened by the sudden death of Dominic Danos, our Founder, CEO, and friend. Over the last year, we have continued to build and strengthen the business, of which he would have been extremely proud, and we continue to fulfil our commitment and dedication to raise funds and support the Doverhouse Lions FC.

The club’s coaches and team management are volunteers, who give their time to empower the most vulnerable members of their community and to support more than 300 children and young adults each week from one of the most deprived estates in the UK.

As we embark upon the “Danos Group 2023 Challenge for Charity” we remember Dom, celebrate his business and his sporting achievements and draw on his encouragement and inspiration to create a legacy in his memory.

Our team of individuals and relay members are triathlon training hard to prepare for this challenge; for most, it will be their first triathlon, so all your encouragement and support would be greatly welcomed.

Good luck team Danos: Neil Owen, Denis Spearman, Mark Moorby, Jennifer Paterson, Alex Bayne-Powell, Tom Harvey, Claire Singer, Netti Clark, Georgie Ashby, Thomas Wade, Nicole Poole and Annie Katich.

How you can play your part?

Help us reach our target:

1. Make a donation. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

How we’ll spend the money raised

Your donations will help fund the following initiatives:

Community Impact

For over 18 years Doverhouse Lions FC has been using the power of football to provide meaningful education pathways, and a broad range of initiatives focusing on employment, social deprivation, crime reduction, youth offending, health, inclusion, environment, and opportunities to build a positive future, awakening the realisation that every young person matters.

This club is run for the community by the community, the coaches and team management are volunteers, who give their time to support more than 300 children and youths each week, in one of the most deprived areas in the UK.

Doverhouse Lions FC is located near one of the largest council estates in the UK. Built-in the 1950s post World War II the area is made up of social housing with multiple sets of "point" and "slab" tower blocks. The area is in desperate need of regeneration, the youth club is boarded up, there is bad crime, gun and gang culture, and children can’t play in the open spaces as it is not safe - Doverhouse Lions FC provides a safe place for children and youths to play football and develop life skills.

Doverhouse Lions FC was set up to get young kids off the streets and into a family environment where they feel safe, have a sense of belonging, learn life skills, and play football.

Irrespective of challenging background or race, support is offered to all at any point of the day or night without judgement. Each child and youth are seen as a valued individual and Doverhouse Lions FC aims to build their self-confidence and provide positive career paths.

Doverhouse Lions FC is the beating heart of the community, with 30 local volunteers running 20 U7 to U18 football teams and an Academy for 4- to 7-year-olds. Players return to the club as coaches, in return for the opportunities given to them, to stay part of this unique football family. They also bring their children to coach and develop the next generation, running weekly two-hour open training sessions costing £3 - those who can afford to pay do, but no one is ever turned away.

The club provides education and football in equal measure, and uses football to develop life skills, and set family values; by taking this approach they have enabled many young footballers to go on find employment, have stable relationships and become parents.

Doverhouse Lions FC demonstrates the importance and impact of grassroots football, not only to develop football talent and teach children life skills but to support whole communities.

This club delivers high-quality training by qualified coaches at all levels, nurturing exceptional talent. It has been the starting club for players such as Ryan and Steven Sessegnon, and is the club of Lily Waters, a gifted young deaf girl, who has been selected for England FA training camps.

Doverhouse Lions FC is representative of footballers at all skill levels, ages, gender, disabilities, and cultural backgrounds. The volunteer coaches are committed to everyone, and pride themselves on delivering a platform for all children in their local community to play football to the best of their ability.

The club recognizes that it has a responsibility to the community. Children from difficult backgrounds are susceptible and vulnerable, often looking to belong. Doverhouse Lions FC provides a safe and supportive development alternative to one of the many local gangs.

This is not just a football club, it is a football family, having created an environment that helps children thrive, and gives them confidence and love - locally it is referred to as “the fourth emergency service”.

“Doverhouse Lions is important to the community as it gives children like me access to play football, get out of the house instead of staying indoors using technology. My mum has made new friends taking me training, she says the football team is like a family.” Nicco Rantac (player aged 10).

“We have some children who come from not very nice backgrounds, coming to football is their safe haven, when they walk through the gate at our field, they feel like they are at home… In the area that we live, there has been a lot of bad crime and gang culture. We are a very diverse club, you can play football anywhere, but you can’t find a unique community club like ours.” Alice Payne (Coach & Ex-Player).

(The Roehampton Playing Fields Community Trust (Charity #1193183) is the charity that enables Doverhouse Lions Community FC to operate).