Eddie Ray

Progressive Sports

I started out on my business journey at the age of 26 when I started Progressive Sports. 

Progressive Sports exists to inspire, engage, empower and encourage children to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. 

We are experts in supporting schools and communities to inspire and encourage children to be physically active.

We’re proud to say that we have supported hundreds of schools over the years to realise their visions for their PE & school sport. We listen to the needs of our customers and find the best solutions to help them. Whether they are looking at giving children more opportunities to experience a wider breadth of activities or their looking for professional development for their staff – whatever it might be we can certainly help.  

We also get children active in our community. Our work is not just limited to the work we do with schools we have a range of activities for children to participate in outside of school. Whether this is an evening gymnastics session or holiday course activities. We here to encourage children to be physical active in our local community.

We are very clear on what our role is and how we can best serve our customers to ensure children in our care lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

Founder & Managing Director

The decision was made in 2009 to franchise our business model, which would allow is to grow into other communities throughout the UK. 

The model was perfected by working with schools and communities in Staffordshire but now reaches into many parts of the UK, from Bristol to Essex and London to Manchester and lots of places in-between. 

Progressive Sports was started back in 2006 and continues to operate its services in schools and communities around Staffordshire in the Midlands. The step was taken to Franchise the business back in 2009, so that the Progressive Sports experience could be experienced across the whole of the UK!

A lot has changed since the early days, and one thing that we've improved along the way is the knowledge and know-how on how to build a successful business in the Sports Education market. 

We are very serious about setting the standards in our industry, and we are very happy to share all the information and knowledge we have gained over the years with those people who are interested in owning their own successful sports coaching business. 

If you are looking for a new opportunity and fancy being your own boss, then the best way to find out more information is to come to one of our monthly Franchise Discovery Days.

Franchisor

Progressive School Lettings

We offer a fully managed school lettings solution that utilises and maximises schools existing facilities by hiring them out to the local community.

Many schools have excellent facilities that are underutilised, and we know with our expertise and reputation we can assist schools to make better use of their facilities to the benefit of them and the local community.

If you are a school business manager and would like to discuss with us how we can create a win-win partnership with ourselves to maxmise the use of the school's sports facilities, then drop me a message.

Director

Progressive Education Group

Progressive Education Group is a privately owned investment vehicle established to help the owners of Owner Managed Businesses find a way to exit their companies with the best possible value for you as the seller and us as the acquirer.

We are primarily interested in acquiring good, profitable companies that operate in the sports education and children’s activity sector.
​
You might be worn out and tired with the stresses and strains of running a private company.

Or you may be facing a sudden and life changing event such as illness or bereavement and you’ve confronted the urgent need to sell.

We have over 20 years experience operating in the sports education and children’s activity sector and are well placed to continue the legacy that the current owner will leave behind.

Investor

SOCATOTS

I started life as a Franchisee way back in 2006. The Socatots concept is very unique and is a brilliant introduction to basic football skills for under 5's. 

SOCATOTS is the world's leading provider of football-related physical development activities for young children aged between six months and five years. It offers a unique approach designed around systematic training sessions involving parents' active participation.

Franchisee for Staffordshire

LivWell.Ltd

LivWell is a unique set of teaching resources and training to support pupil's health and wellbeing.

Our curriculum content and training helps schools to deliver, track and support pupil health and wellbeing through our online platform. 

The business was co-founded by Eddie Ray, Caroline Siddel and Adam Shakesheave and brings together their combined experience of over 50 years working within education and they’ve seen first-hand the steady decline in young people’s health and wellbeing. 

We believe LivWell can be a springboard for schools to support pupil's wellbeing with clear outcomes that puts the ‘child first’.

We sold the business in April 2022 to Natalie Davies.

Co-Founder

Sport Xplorers Limited

I created Sport Xplorers following a conversation with an Early Years teacher that was looking for teaching resources for Early Years Physical Development. 

So, I went away and created what I believe to be the best set of teaching resources in the world to accelerate Early Years Physical Development. 

Sport Xplorers incorporates storytelling into its teaching resources to provide a truly unique concept that is super easy to use and engages early years children to be physically active.

The concept is based around our four unique characters; Fast Freddie, Balancing Bella, Skilful Sally and Handy Harry 

To gain access to all our fab resources you can choose from one of three packages that can be found at our website: https://sportxplorers.co.uk/

The business was sold in November 2020 to Rich Partridge.

CEO & Founder

The first 10 years of a child’s life are game changing in creating a lifelong commitment to physical activity. 

Over the last 12 years, as the founder of Progressive Sports. I have worked with schools and in communities to cheerlead the benefits of children being physically active. 

Through Progressive Sports we have built up a network of like-minded individuals who are responsible for getting over 75,000 children active every week.

It’s our belief that active kids do better: Better academic performance. Better behaviour. Better health. Better lives.

If you love working with children and share my beliefs on how important physical activity is in creating happy and healthy children, then please connect with me. 

Or, if you are passionate about setting up your own business to support children in your local community to have opportunities to be active, then again please connect, and it might be worth checking out our franchise website: http://sport-franchise.co.uk/


The decision was made in 2009 to franchise our business model, which would allow is to grow into other communities throughout the UK. 

The model was perfected by working with schools and communities in Staffordshire but now reaches into many parts of the UK, from Bristol to Essex and London to Manchester and lots of places in-between. 

Progressive Sports was started back in 2006 and continues to operate its services in schools and communities around Staffordshire in the Midlands. The step was taken to Franchise the business back in 2009, so that the Progressive Sports experience could be experienced across the whole of the UK!

A lot has changed since the early days, and one thing that we've improved along the way is the knowledge and know-how on how to build a successful business in the Sports Education market. 

We are very serious about setting the standards in our industry, and we are very happy to share all the information and knowledge we have gained over the years with those people who are interested in owning their own successful sports coaching business. 

If you are looking for a new opportunity and fancy being your own boss, then the best way to find out more information is to come to one of our monthly Franchise Discovery Days. 


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