Events
Millions of people love football,
but don’t know Jesus.
We exist to Bridge the Gap.
Bridge the Gap partners with churches to train and equip volunteers to create welcoming football communities where young people can belong and encounter Jesus. These open access spaces, give players a place to play, build friendships, and explore faith.
Each year, volunteers invite players to the Alpha Course and into church life. Many then invite their own friends, creating a ripple effect as God’s kingdom spreads beyond the football pitch.
Improving mental &
physical health, together.
85%
Say BTG has reduced
feelings of loneliness
99%
Say BTG has improved
mental health
61%
Have accepted an invite
to Alpha and/or Church
Our values
Community
We create safe, welcoming spaces where people from all backgrounds connect. To build friendships, break down barriers, and open doors to meaningful chats. It’s not really about football, we're building communities that reflect God’s love in action.
Leadership
We invest in young people, helping them grow in character, confidence, and purpose. Through mentoring and responsibility, we raise up leaders who influence with integrity. Together, we can discipline the next generation to lead boldly in faith and in life.
Transformation
We believe BTG is a tool for life change—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Time and again, we’ve seen lives impacted as people experience Jesus’ hope, healing, and truth. Our work opens hearts to the gospel in real, relevant, and relational ways.
The Journey
It started with two observations: 1. There are not many men at church. 2. Men lack positive community. From this, Tristan set out to build a place where men could belong, that connects them into the church. And Bridge the Gap was born in 2019 with two football communities partnered with their local church in Southampton and Portsmouth.
As other people who shared these observations got plugged into the vision, a strategy was developed and Bridge the Gap started to engage in new locations, as well as host tournaments, festivals, corporate social value events, vision days and fundraisers.
Fast forward to today and Bridge the Gap operates in over 30 locations across the UK and beyond, engaging with over 1,000 young people every single week. The impact on each individual player is astonishing, with BTG not just helping men, but women and youth find transformation through connecting into our welcoming football communities.
Meet The Team
Tristan Lury
FOUNDER & CEO
Lydia Clark
Operations Manager
Charlotte Kendall
Fundraising & Events COordinator
George Croucher
Youth Coordinator
Sam Adie
Regional manager
& partnerships
charlie coates
Church partnerships manager
Alfie Ramsay
North & Midlands Coordinator
Join Our Team
our supporters
Mark Mckenzie
Ben
Johnson
Jason McCarthy
Nat
Ogbeta
antoine semenyo
David
Alaba
READ
Matty’s Story
For a while I was quite invested in researching Christianity and the teachings of Jesus - it was all starting to click in my mind; I even managed to go along to church a couple of times on my own.
But frankly, it was only really part of my life in private, during my free time, when I would watch YouTube videos or podcasts on the topic…
Fast forward a few months later and I had met a then colleague, now friend, who was a Christian. After some great chats about Jesus and challenges I was facing in faith, she asked me a question to the effect of:
"How do you expect to stay on the right path without a strong community to around you?"
Nail on the head moment!
A short while later, I was invited to go to the Young Adults night at C3 Cambridge. It was great; I met some awesome people who were so bold in their faith – and it was here that I was introduced to BTG.
After chatting to Zed, the Cambridge BTG organiser, I was invited along to play and was more than welcomed by the lads.
I was still very new to the church and honestly, I probably still had a few preconceived ideas about this whole Christian thing, so It was great to meet super genuine, down-to-earth guys who enjoyed footy and a laugh – but it was awesome to see how God was at the centre of it too, as we'd start and end our sessions with a prayer.
Only a few weeks later I found myself part of the C3 squad for a truly memorable day at the Bridge the Gap Nationals tournament, it really felt like the community that I needed was being formed.
Leading up to my baptism I was blessed enough to have incredible support from the group who were there to answer any questions and offer me words of wisdom.
Thank you Bridge the Gap for the part you’ve played in my journey.
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Your support fuels progress and brings hope where it's needed most.
