Support available for community activities

Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin has invited community sport and physical activity projects to apply for funding as part of on-going work to help more individuals in the region get active.

Awarded by Sport England and the National Lottery as part of its support of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the £60,000 funding will support sport and physical activity to become more accessible across more deprived areas of Telford and wider Shropshire.

Energize has local priority audiences and localities which it is looking to support – these include people from lower income families, people with disabilities, long-term health conditions or people from more ethnically diverse communities.

A key focus is on the community sports and physical activity provider feeling confident and skilled to engage more diverse members of the community into their club or environment, with a training package in place for all community clubs and organisations that come forward for funding.

Eligible community organisations can apply for between £100 and £2,500 for their project or event. Applicants must show how their proposed project or event will support those who need it most or are from underrepresented groups, whilst aligning with the Commonwealth Games missions.

These include:  

• Bringing people together: celebrating sport and physical activity, connecting to the cultural vibrancy of the Commonwealth, and supporting cultural diversity and inclusion.
• Improving health and wellbeing: focus on participation including those who are inactive to be active. It can also tackle inequality in participation including access to kit and equipment. 
• Helping the region to grow and succeed: focus on supporting volunteers and workforce development. 

Jessica Bradbury, head of operations at Energize STW, said: “We are really excited to be in a position to invest in the people and conditions that make community sport and physical activity happen locally. We recognise the long-term impact a skilled workforce can have to support our most in need communities to improve both their physical and mental wellbeing”

“Roughly 90% of coaches and support staff in the physical activity sector are volunteers. We know this funding will be well received by our community clubs and organisations, and a stepping stone to help Energize in our mission to eliminating inactivity.”

Phil Smith, partnerships director of Sport England, said: “We want to use Birmingham 2022 as a catalyst to help more people in the Midlands be active. We are investing around £30 million in doing that, and this new funding is for local groups to use to make sport and physical activity more accessible to more people.

“By targeting funding through a number of Active Partnerships – including awarding £60,000 to Energize STW – we want to help leave a legacy of active and connected communities long after the curtain has come down on the Games.”

Applications are now open – the deadline for submissions is August 31, 2022. To find out more visit https://www.energizestw.org.uk/commonwealth-games-funding