We must help grassroots sport clubs at risk of collapsing
While kids across the country could barely contain their excitement this week with the resumption of grassroots sport, the sad reality is that many local community clubs which bring opportunity, escape and structure to the lives of young people are on the brink of financial collapse.
Over the last year, young people have felt the brunt of the pandemic as schools closed their doors. Teachers made a monumental effort in continuing to educate students online whilst schools were closed, but children really missed out on spending time with their peers.
Being part of a local sports club builds better levels of teamwork, greater resilience and enhances communication skills. It helps deliver the lost social interactions that many have missed. Some studies have estimated participation in sport can create returns of £4 for every £1 spent by reducing crime, truancy, and ill health.
But many sports clubs could be at risk of disappearing. Even before the pandemic, over 40 per cent of local community sports clubs were either in deficit or just breaking even. Many of these clubs are run by volunteers, who often lack awareness and know-how when applying for much sought after sporting grants.
Now, a quarter find themselves at risk of permanent closure after a year of intense difficulty – from local football teams to athletics and tennis clubs.
As the Chairman of Made By Sport, a charity raising awareness of the power of sport to change lives, and the CEO of Flutter Entertainment, owner of brands including Sky Bet and Paddy Power, we have first-hand experience of the positive impact that sport can have on people’s mental wellbeing and personal relationships.
This month, Made By Sport will launch a multi-million pound ‘Clubs in Crisis’ fund, which will be open to sports clubs in financial difficulty to apply for critical funding. The fund is underpinned by a £4.79m donation from Flutter, a company with a long history of supporting local grassroots sports through its Cash4 Clubs initiative.
In aiming to support the smallest clubs, we hope to offer a lifeline to those that are often overlooked. For many clubs, the extra funding will be the difference between closing their doors for good and their survival.
The funds can be directed towards core costs and will also allow recipient clubs to maintain the support of the thousands of local volunteers who offer their time and effort to give their young members an opportunity to thrive.
So, just as thousands of people got back to playing their favourite sport again this week, we call on other companies, bodies and organisations to embrace the positive impact that sport can have on those that have sacrificed as much as anyone during the pandemic – our young people – and consider contributing to the ‘Clubs in Crisis’ fund, which is open to donations of all sizes.
Access to sport can be life-changing for young people in so many ways, so we owe it to ourselves to give them the best shot at success. If we don’t, then many of the UK’s vibrant local clubs may disappear and with it, the joy, happiness, and personal well-being it brings to so many around them.