Launched in 2015, the charity works in prisons, young offenders’ institutes and the community in partnership with Pupil Referral Units and Youth Offending Teams, across London and the South East. It uses sport as a gateway to build trust-based relationships with young people, deliver mentoring and provide positive role models, in a bid to prevent and reduce violence and re-offending.

Quality training, real jobs

Just 29 per cent of prisoners get paid employment at some point during the first two years after their release.

This year, 3Pillars will offer personal training qualifications to ex-offenders on release through 3Pillars Fitness, following which participants may find employment opportunities with 3Pillars Wellbeing.

As functioning companies, 3Pillars Fitness and 3Pillars Wellbeing will offer the highest standards of training and real jobs in the sports, health, fitness and wellbeing industry.

“I want to help young people succeed. For me it was the army providing a great structure to build strong character which enables success. I’ve brought this structure to meet the challenges that crime and violence create, and this improved pathway is just the next step to support and empower change in young people,” said 3Pillars founder and CEO Mike Crofts, who is a former army officer.