Grassroots sports have received a major boost after Made By Sport announced a new partnership with the Cash4Clubs scheme and the launch of a new 2021 Covid-response fund to support Clubs in Crisis.
The fund will open to coincide with the opening up of grassroots sport towards the end of March and will award grants of £2021 to thousands of clubs that are in desperate need of support.
Made By Sport’s Clubs in Crisis campaign has highlighted the challenges community clubs and organisations have faced to stay afloat during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Research conducted by Newton for Made By Sport revealed that before the pandemic, over 40% of local community sports clubs were either in deficit or just breaking even. The pandemic has put over 25% of community clubs at risk of permanent closure.
As the UK begins to plan for a post-pandemic future, sport and community clubs need to play a vital role in our recovery. It is estimated that sport returns £4 for every £1 spent on reductions in spending on crime, truancy and ill health. Young people who are physically active thanks to their local sports clubs and organisations can show up to seven times better levels of teamwork, six times better levels of greater resilience and five times better communication skills.
This funding is needed now more than ever with young people facing a myriad of challenges, including staying on top of their mental wellbeing. Access to sport can be life-changing.
Made by Sport will be working with UK Community Foundations to distribute these grants, thanks to the financial contribution made by Flutter’s Cash4Clubs.
Funding will be made available for eligible grassroots sports clubs and organisations through all 46 local Community Foundations towards the end of March, in time for clubs to be able to open their doors once again.
In order to be eligible, clubs must provide clear evidence of how they use sport to help young people develop life skills, employment opportunities, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour or tackle mental health issues.
For further information on how to find your nearest Community Foundation, visit https://www.ukcommunityfoundations.org/our-network
The donation being made by Flutter Entertainment is the amount it benefitted from as a result of business rates relief, which was put in place from March 2020 to March 2021 for its shops in England.
Sophie Mason, CEO of Made By Sport, said: “This donation is a huge injection into our Clubs in Crisis fund and we are delighted to be partnering with Flutter’s Cash4Clubs scheme and UK Community Foundations to provide this much-needed support.
“Whilst community sport provision is in a precarious state right now, there has never been more recognition that sport is fundamental to our individual, community and societal development. If sport at its most grassroots level is denied, we risk a huge rise in mental health issues, anti-social behaviour and lack of life skills that lead to better employment opportunities. This fund will make a massive difference to thousands of communities all across the UK.”
Commenting on the announcement, Peter Jackson, Group CEO of Flutter Entertainment plc, who fund the Cash4Clubs scheme, said: “Lack of funding is not a new issue for community clubs which is why we originally set up our Cash4Clubs programme.
“We recognised at the outset of the pandemic that the support offered by Government should be directed to businesses facing threats to their existence, which is why we chose not to use the Government’s furlough scheme. We see the business rates relief in the same bracket, which is why we have donated the full £4.79m benefit to Made by Sport to help support the grassroots clubs that make an impact in their communities.”
Rosemary Macdonald, CEO of UK Community Foundations, said: “We are delighted to be working with Made by Sport to distribute much needed funds to community sports groups and clubs across the country. Our network of 46 community foundations enables us to reach every area of the UK, supporting organisations that make a real difference in their local area.
“This initiative will provide thousands of young people with opportunities to develop their skills and confidence after all the challenges and disruption they have experienced over the past year. We hope this marks the start of a mutually beneficial partnership with Made by Sport which will have a lasting positive impact on young people in communities throughout the UK.”
Posted on 2nd March 2021