Posted on: Tuesday 7 July 2020
Grassroots sports clubs in Torfaen can apply for a new fund to help them survive the Covid-19 pandemic and prepare to restart activities safely.
Sport Wales has launched the £4m ‘Be Active Wales Fund’, made possible thanks to Welsh Government and repurposed money from the National Lottery.
During the last two months, more than £600,000 of emergency funding has already been awarded by Sport Wales to help over 300 clubs that were in immediate financial danger.
Now, thanks to the Be Active Wales Fund, even more community clubs and organisations can safeguard their future by applying for a grant of between £300 and £50,000. Applications can be made online at www.sport.wales/beactivewalesfund.
Grassroots sports clubs and organisations at risk of folding because of the Covid-19 crisis may need funding to help pay rent, utility costs, insurances or any fixed costs they may have for facility or equipment hire.
Sport’s National Governing Bodies are providing full guidance each time Welsh Government gives the green light for different forms of activity to resume, and the Be Active Wales Fund will help clubs make any adaptations needed so that activities are safe. For example, one-way systems, hand sanitisers, online booking platforms, and health and safety signage are now commonplace at golf clubs that have re-opened.
Sport Wales Chief Executive Sarah Powell said: “We are making every effort to help grassroots sport get through the current crisis. The Be Active Wales Fund will protect community clubs and organisations, and help them prepare for the sporting life alongside Covid-19.
Our clubs and groups are crucial in keeping the people of Wales active. If they don’t stay afloat or they can’t reopen safely, we can expect another crisis – that of inactivity and ill-health. We must not let that happen.”
Torfaen Executive Member for Education, Councillor Richard Clark said, ‘It’s fantastic to see the launch of the Sport Wales ‘Be Active Wales’ fund, which will no doubt help sports clubs here in Torfaen prepare for when they are able to safely return.
Sports clubs in Torfaen play a massive part in helping to engage many people across the borough, of all ages and is vital in ensuring not just physical but also social and mental wellbeing is developed.
Research carried out by Sport Wales suggests that the inequality gap in sports participation has intensified across Wales during lockdown, most notably among young people living in deprived areas. We certainly don’t want this worrying trend to become a habit, so we will do everything we can to play our part in ensuring that the Be Active Wales Fund reaches our communities who need it most.
We are actively encouraging sports clubs and groups to contact our Sports Development team so that they can support them to complete the application process. We would also like to thank the National Lottery and Welsh Government for providing the much needed funds that will ensure all types of sports continue to thrive in our communities.’
Highlighting the importance of The National Lottery’s support to communities throughout Wales, including the sport sector, John Rose, Chair of the Wales National Lottery Forum, said: “The distributors of National Lottery funding in Wales are acutely aware of the unprecedented impact that Covid-19 is having across the communities we support. We have been amazed how community groups of all types have pulled together to help out in their communities.
“As funders, we are working tirelessly to support the projects we fund and mitigate the effects as far as possible during this difficult time. We want to reassure our communities that we are still here, we’re still making awards and we’d like to thank players of The National Lottery for their ongoing support, which is enabling us to make funding available to people and communities affected by the pandemic.”
Full information about the Be Active Wales Fund, including details on how to apply, can be found at www.sport.wales/beactivewalesfund