A business that Wayne Glover founded while studying at University of Staffordshire now works with around 7,500 children per week and employs 26 members of staff.

The business, Time4Sport, also has a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University which involves Wayne and his team working with two academics to create an app and platform to support children who are above their ideal weight.

Time4Sport, which has its headquarters at Michelin Sports Centre, works with thousands of children and families across Staffordshire and Cheshire every week.

Time4Sport was established in 2007 and has been built on a desire to improve the lives of children and families through PE and sport, with a passion for promoting the benefits of healthy living. It is a physical education, physical activity, sport, health and wellbeing service provider and delivers activities in schools and directly to families. It offers school services, extra-curricular clubs, Time4Swimming, holiday camps and Time4Wellbeing.

The business began when founder and Managing Director Wayne was studying for a degree in Sports Development and Coaching.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I graduated so in the summer between my second and third year I went to the US and did some coaching,” he said.

“Then in my final year, before I graduated in 2005, I did coaching at schools. I saw a teacher trying to deliver what I had delivered and realised that primary schools weren’t being supported to deliver high quality PE sessions.”

Wayne was able to join an enterprise fellowship scheme through the University after pitching his business idea. He received support for the first two years, has business space at the University for two years and received start-up funding.

“I received £6,000 funding to get the business up and running. Halfway through the programme there was a competition for an additional £6,000 of funding, which Time4Sport won. It made all the difference and Time4Sport is still going all these years later.”

Wayne is passionate about empowering children to build a fitter, healthier and happier future, believing that positive habits formed in childhood lay the foundation for a lifetime of wellbeing.

He has a team of 26 staff and worked with the University’s Unitemps team to recruit an additional 50 temporary staff last summer to support with the Holiday Activities and Food provision for children in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire who are in receipt of income-related free school meals.

Wayne has an ongoing relationship with academics in the University’s sports department and helps to support current students.

“I still have quite a few links with the University of Staffordshire and even work in a number of Staffordshire University Academy Trust schools,” he added.

Wayne has entered the Alumni Business Person of the Year category of the University of Staffordshire Business Awards and Time4Sport has entered the Innovation and Business in the Community categories.