Rio Ferdinand Foundation

Founded by Rio Ferdinand in 2012, the Rio Ferdinand Foundation is a social mobility charity inspired by his own experiences growing up in Peckham. They support young people in under-resourced communities across the UK and beyond, creating real change.

Since July 2025, Lyle & Scott has engaged in an 18-month partnership with the foundation. The support is structured around three primary initiatives kit distribution, workshops & internship opportunities.

The Kit Distribution is an extension of the ‘Kits For Clubs’ initiative which supplies kits to young and under-resourced individuals during a series of football tournaments organised by the foundation across the world. So far, we have done kit distributions in Cape Town in South Africa, Manchester & Derry with more to come.

“Creating opportunities for young people is what my Foundation is all about, and this new collaboration with Lyle and Scott will offer a range of opportunities across the creative and fashion industries. By offering resources, training, mentoring, experiences and jobs the Lyle and Scott and Rio Ferdinand Foundation partnership can deliver long term impact across all the communities we work in.”

Rio Ferdinand, Founder, Rio Ferdinand Foundation

This partnership unites two organisations with a shared commitment to tackling inequality and creating meaningful pathways for young people from underrepresented communities to achieve their full potential.

Through this collaboration, Lyle & Scott will support the Foundation’s mission to drive social mobility and inspire positive change across the UK and Ireland - providing vital resources to enhance employability and skills development. With over a century of heritage, the globally recognised fashion label will also open doors to careers in the creative and fashion industries.