Mamma Mia! Lily James revealed as club investor
Lily James invests in padel
Hollywood actress Lily James has been revealed as the backer behind a new padel club operator launching its business today.
The Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actress/producer joins an elite club of internationally recognised names investing in British padel, including Spotify’s Martin Lorentzon (Padium), Stormzy (Padel Social Club) and Andy Murray (Game4Padel).
The 36-year-old – whose credits include the title role in Disney’s 2015 Cinderella, Donna in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and Lady Rose MacClare in Downton Abbey – is swapping Chiquitita for chiquitas and investing in new-launch Connect Padel UK, which has plans for some four clubs in the next 18 months.
Siblings
Connect Padel UK’s first location will be announced next week and open shortly. For founder Charlie Thomson having Lily onboard as a partner and global ambassador marks an exciting step for the ambitious business – not least because she’s his sister!
The siblings came to padel separately – Charlie after returning from working in Australia and Lily likely while in Spain – but have a shared passion for the sport and making it more accessible, affordable, engaging and social for players of all levels, including children and girls/women, as Lily explained: “Padel is a sport that brings people together. I believe we are at the forefront of creating welcoming environments for everyone to enjoy and improve their game.
“From the moment I first picked up a padel racket I fell in love with the sport. Through Connect Padel UK I want to ensure that padel is accessible to everyone, particularly women and girls.
“We want to support and champion local communities and players of all levels, from schools, to parents, to casual players and professionals all over the UK. Let’s connect!” Lily added.
At the core of the business is a ‘fundamental commitment’ to make padel accessible, as Charlie explained: “We’re about three things – providing top-quality facilities at affordable prices, building vibrant communities that bring players together both on and off the court, and ultimately getting more people to play padel.
“A key part of this is offering 1,000 hours of free court time annually to local schools and charities [in each club location]. This initiative is about breaking down barriers and ensuring countless new people can experience this fantastic sport.”
Encouraging children on to court is a key part of the business’s ethos. “Targeting kids in particular is something I’m really passionate about in terms of getting them on court, getting a racket in their hands and allowing them to experience padel,” added Charlie, who is already speaking with schools in the locality of their first club location.
At each club location Connect Padel UK will offer professional coaching for beginners and advanced players, community-driven events, tournaments and social leagues, plus accessible and inclusive programmes to welcome new players. 🎾
