Summer Fundraiser

Kingdom Wrestling Launches Urgent £3,000 Summer Survival Campaign to Protect Youth Services

SHIPLEY, UK — July 16, 2026 — Kingdom Wrestling, the UK’s first faith-based pro wrestling charity and recently crowned UK 2026 Company of the Year in Sports Entertainment, has today launched an urgent summer fundraising campaign. The registered charity (No. 1206156) aims to raise £3,000 to keep its vital community doors open as it navigates a critical funding gap caused by the summer pause in its local school partnerships.

Without these school contracts—which include essential alternative provision and youth development work alongside Bradford AP Academy, One In A Million, and Shipley College—the charity risks a severe seasonal deficit. This shortfall directly threatens their ability to provide safe, structured, and affordable training for local youth during the high-risk summer months.

A Precarious Climate for Grassroots Charities

Kingdom Wrestling’s struggle highlights a wider national crisis. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) Foundation’s recent report on small charities, “Underfunded and Overlooked,” warns that small, local charities with proven track records are increasingly left in a "precarious position". The CSJ report notes that of the hundreds of charities forced to close in recent years, the vast majority (nearly 98%) are small grassroots organizations with incomes under £1 million.

Despite delivering highly effective, innovative, and deeply trusted frontline services, small charities are frequently squeezed out of larger funding streams—forcing organizations like Kingdom Wrestling to rely on direct community support to survive.

Proving Local Impact: Keighley Library "Read-a-Slam" Success

The critical value of Kingdom Wrestling’s unique community work was on full display on Saturday, July 11th, at Keighley Library. The charity hosted its first-ever "Read-a-Slam" event, an innovative show that brought the unlikely worlds of professional wrestling and children's literature together.

The event drew an energetic crowd of over 200 local children and families. Kingdom Wrestling's "booksmart brawlers" acted out iconic children's stories inside a wrestling ring temporarily built inside the historic library, bringing narratives to life. The event was a major success, boosting library memberships and driving sign-ups for the Summer Reading Challenge, demonstrating how the charity uses sports entertainment as a powerful hook to build youth confidence and literacy.

High-Stakes Live Events to Support the Cause

To jumpstart fundraising efforts and continue showcasing the direct impact of their work, Kingdom Wrestling is hosting two major live-action events this summer:

King of Kings: Taking place at St Peter's Church in Shipley on Friday, July 24th, featuring top-tier athletic showcases.

Courtyard Clash: Slated for Darley Street Market on Saturday, August 8th, bringing high-energy outdoor entertainment.

Real Success Stories: The Launch of 'Ascension'

The upcoming summer shows will highlight the charity's core mission by introducing graduates from its brand-new pre-show series, Ascension. This dedicated battleground allows elite trainees from the Kingdom Wrestling Academy to transition from training to the main stage.

Media outlets are invited to cover these debutants, who have used sports entertainment to build confidence, discipline, and teamwork. Fans can also catch up on previous trainee journeys via Kingdom Wrestling's newly announced back-catalog streaming deal with Hooked On Wrestling.

Business Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Kingdom Wrestling is actively seeking partnerships with local and national businesses to help bridge the £3,000 gap. Corporate sponsors can align with a verified award-winning charity and access high-visibility packages, including:

Ring mat branding seen by hundreds of live fans and digital audiences.

Program advertising and dedicated social media campaigns.

Match sponsorship, allowing business owners to present championships inside the ring.

How to Help

Donations can be made directly through the charity’s official online fundraising platform by visiting the Donate section on their website. Tickets for both King of Kings and Courtyard Clash are available to purchase directly through the Kingdom Wrestling website. All proceeds go directly toward the £3,000 survival target.

Press Release: Kingdom Wrestling wins Company Of The Year 2026 in Sports Entertainment Category

COMPANY OF THE YEAR AWARDS UK 2026 WINNERS

Honoring Innovation, Leadership, and Strategic Excellence Across the United Kingdom.

The Excellence Awards are proud to announce the recipients of the Company of the Year Awards UK 2026, recognizing outstanding organizations that are shaping the future of business through innovation, strategic thinking, and measurable impact.

These awards celebrate companies that move beyond conventional business models and demonstrate the ability to adapt, evolve, and lead in increasingly complex and competitive markets.

The United Kingdom continues to hold a unique position as one of the world’s most influential business environments.

From finance and technology to education, healthcare, sustainability, and creative industries, organizations across the UK are navigating rapid transformation driven by digitalization, artificial intelligence, and global market shifts.

In this environment, business excellence requires more than growth alone.

It requires resilience, adaptability, responsible leadership, and the ability to make strategic decisions in uncertain and fast-moving conditions.

The Company of the Year Awards UK 2026 recognize organizations that successfully combine innovation with long-term thinking, and operational excellence with strategic clarity.

Today’s leading companies are not simply those that grow quickly — but those that remain adaptable while building sustainable and future-oriented business models.

“True business excellence emerges when innovation is combined with clarity, adaptability, and responsible leadership.” — Dr Yasemin Yazan, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Excellence Awards.

Selected for their exceptional contribution, measurable impact, and commitment to excellence within the Pro Wrestling and Charity sectors. Kingdom Wrestling was nominated and selected through a merit-based evaluation process conducted by the Excellence Awards Nominations Team, taking into account innovation, leadership, ethical standards, market impact, and long-term strategic potential.

“Winning this award from the Excellence Awards is a profound honour that validates our entire mission at Kingdom Wrestling. We set out to break down barriers, using the power, storytelling, and spectacle of professional wrestling to bring communities together and share a message of hope, faith, and transformation. This recognition doesn't just belong to me; it belongs to our incredibly dedicated team, our athletes, and every single person who has supported our journey from a small seed of an idea into a unstoppable movement. It inspires us to keep pushing boundaries, changing lives, and showing that no matter where you start, redemption and purpose are always within reach.” says Gareth Thompson, CEO of Kingdom Wrestling.

About Gareth Thompson & Kingdom Wrestling

• The Leader: Gareth "Angel" Thompson is the founder and CEO of Kingdom Wrestling. He is an accomplished UK professional wrestler who performs under the moniker Gareth Angel.

• Award Selection Criteria: Thompson was selected for this award due to his pioneering leadership in social innovation and community healing. After personally overcoming youth trauma and homelessness, he built a platform that tackles male mental health, supports expelled pupils, and promotes positive masculinity. The judges specifically recognised his ability to scale a grassroots idea into an award winning charity that has successfully baptised dozens, created local youth training academies, and broken traditional barriers to community support.

• The Mission: Thompson pioneered the "Wrestling Church" concept, transforming his faith ministry into a registered charity. The group uses live wrestling events as a dynamic storytelling medium to unpack messages of hope, resilience, and faith.

• Real-World Impact: Kingdom Wrestling focuses heavily on community outreach, including youth work, addressing male mental health, and promoting positive masculinity. Their unique approach has been widely featured by major media outlets, including BBC News and Sky TV.

About the Excellence Awards

The Excellence Awards, hosted by Dr Yasemin Yazan LLC, recognise professionals and organisations across the world whose work exemplifies excellence, innovation, and impact. With a global reach and local relevance, each awards round focuses on specific regions and industries.

To learn more about the awards and view past recipients, visit: www.excellenceawards.global