Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund will help over 90 community sport projects across England totalling over £9.9 million. The fund is designed to give a cash boost to some of England’s most in-need clubs. Since 2011, Inspired Facilities has invested £122 million in 2,215 projects nationally, 244 of which are based in the East of England.
Around 10 per cent of clubs who have received funding already from the fund said that without the money, they would have been forced to close, and half said they would have lost members. Thanks to the investment, almost 90% of clubs have reported an increase in new members.
While many of the clubs will use the money from this round of funding for vital improvements, and facility extensions – which they would not otherwise be able to afford – some of the more eye-catching projects include transforming a Bedfordshire lido first built in 1911 and renovating a leaky indoor skate park in King’s Lynn enabling it to be used all year round.
Sport England property director, Charles Johnston, said: “The Inspired Facilities fund is a helping hand to thousands of community sports projects across the country. No club is immune to wear and tear, and this fund recognises the tremendous work they do in helping local people keep active. I am delighted that thanks to the National Lottery we have been so many clubs in the East of England.”
Today’s announcement marks the last tranche of funding for the Inspired Facilities programme, which will shortly be replaced with a new programme called the Community Asset Fund. The new fund will continue to support local sports projects by helping communities take ownership of local assets from local authorities or elsewhere.
Projects in the East of England include:
Helping to keep the lights on, the popular Peterborough Town Cricket, Hockey and Squash Club is to receive £45,870 to replace flood lighting in three of its tennis courts. The club’s previous floodlights were installed nearly 30 years ago, better lighting will mean the club can be used in the evenings, and offer more sessions over winter to help keep more local people active.
Despite a recent upgrade Bury St Edmunds SB Rifle Club in Suffolk has no water supply. Thanks to a grant of £31,581 this is set to change, the shooting range will also procure a secure bunker to store rifles securely. The club is confident that once the improvements are made the club can attract even more members
Chatteris Town Football Club in Fenland gets £75,000 to overhaul its facilities. The changing rooms, kitchen and clubroom bar are all set for a revamp with a new boiler completing the transformation. Renovations on the club to date have been staggered throughout its 80 year history, but it’s hoped that the new refurbishment will give the club a more cohesive modern look.
Woolpit Cricket Club based in Suffolk is set to receive £75,000 to create new state-of the art changing rooms which will allow more women and girls to play at the club. As the only sports club in Woolpit, the club’s facilities are straining to keep up with demand, and in particular cater for an increased demand of local women looking to get more active.
North Walsham Gymnastics Club based in North Norfolk is to get £50,965 to help meet local demand for its broad array of trampolining and dance and movement classes. The popular gymnastics club teaches 150 young people, the club has over 200 on its waiting list. Thanks to this cash boost, the club will be able to rent a new larger space to host its classes allowing 300 new members to join up.
Major refurbishment is planned for Harpenden Golf Club in Hertfordshire with thanks to a grant of £75,000. The clubhouse will be extended, as well as the provision of new disability access. Bringing the club up to date, the leaking windows and roof will also be fixed as well as proper insulation fitted to make the club more energy efficient.
The Shed Skate Park in King’s Lynn is to get an £123,170 update. Hugely popular with local groups, schools and young people, the indoor park currently suffers from damp and condensation resulting in the facility closing on average 30 days a year as the surface becomes unsafe to use, as well as frequently having to shut early. This cash injection will be used to properly damp proof the building allowing the park to remain open all year long.
It’s a hole in one for Welwyn Garden City Golf Club as it gets £70,191 to create a new four-hole golf course and covered practice area. The new mini course will be ideal for novice golfers and those lacking time or energy to play the full course. The new all-weather practice area will also provide a helping hand to beginners looking to perfect their swing.
Woburn Lido in Bedfordshire is to get £38,110 to renovate one of England’s oldest working lidos. Although much-loved by the community, the ageing pool surround, and leaking pool shell, and broken heater tests the patience of many of the lido’s loyal users. This cash boost will help fix the pool’s leaks while also mending the heating. Once complete, Woburn Lido is confident that it will be able to cater to local schools.
Langford Football Club in Bedfordshire is set for spruce up with £74,515 being offered to fund new floodlights and pitch levelling work on the training pitch at the site. This essential work will help the club strengthen its relationships with the local Langford Youth FC and allow them to offer the pitch for training and coaching. .
Tollesbury Sailing Club in Maldon, Essex will get £75,000 to transform its changing rooms and create new storage spaces for safety boats and club equipment. The changing rooms built in the 1960s, are often damp and unventilated with a membership survey finding that 73% of respondents considered the changing facilities to be poor. The club is confident that its newly improved facilities will not only allow it offer a better experience to its almost 500 members, but also tempt more people to join the club.
Muddy Lane Sports Grounds in Letchworth, North Hertfordshire, gets £74,250 to update its squash courts building which it currently describes as “dated, uninviting and dark”. The adjoining changing rooms are small and do not have shower facilities. Money has also been allocated to upgrade the building’s roof, guttering and outside walls.
Bantham and Ongar Bowls Club in Epping gets £54,530 to replace its outdoor bowls surface. Its current playing surface is no longer fit for purpose and this money will offer a vital lifeline to the club. Its artificial surface bowling green, predicted to have a minimum ten year life, has now been laid for 12 years, and has deteriorated so badly that the club has had to withdraw from playing in tournaments. The new green will help ensure the viability of the club for another ten years, and provide a welcome boost to its members.
Rampton Village Bowls Club in Bassetlaw Nottinghamshire gets £73,273 to install a new bowling green on a playing field in Rampton Village. Set up in 2011, the Rampton Village Bowls Club plays competitively but because of the lack of a green in the village it has to play on borrowed facilities in Retford, which is ten miles away from the village. It believes that with its own permanent grounds, the club can grow its membership base and encourage more local people to take up bowls.
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For further information on any of the projects contact:
Nora Maguire
Tel: 0207 273 1889
Email: nora.maguire@sportengland.org
Amy Andrew
Tel: 0207 273 1593
Email: amy.andrew@sportengland.org
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