GRASSROOTS SPORT SPECIAL
30pt Inter More Blk than Cond 6,000 look for emergency funding 30pt Inter as Sport Blk Cond England promise their support
How community clubs are fighting for their survival amid crisis
SPORT ENGLAND’S chief executive has vowed his organisation will do everything it can to stop community clubs going under during the coronavirus crisis.
Tim Hollingsworth said more than 6,000 worried clubs and organisations had asked for financial help amid fears the fabric of grassroots sport could be destroyed by the pandemic.
While Premier League clubs are negotiating possible cuts to multi-million pound player salaries, no-one doubts it will survive and probably thrive in the long term.
But up and down the country, football clubs, cricket clubs, golf clubs, boxing clubs, tennis clubs and the like are fearful for their very existence.
Sport England, the body overseeing community sport, has set aside £20million to provide immediate help, with more available when sport eventually resumes.
Hollingsworth said: “We’ve had more than 6,000 applications for our Community Emergency Fund. That tells a story. A lot of focus is on the spectator-led, commercial sports that we use so much to fill our lives and, actually, there is a massive challenge here for sport at grassroots.
“We are doing everything we can to help them stay alive at this point.”
While all clubs were closed overnight by the lockdown, the bills are still coming in and maintenance still needs to be carried out. Hollingsworth said: “Right now, these people just need support to help them keep going, to help them with the pain of bills, loss of subs, of bar takings. All these clubs are very important to the fabric of the community.” While there have been suggestions that some community activities might be allowed when lockdown restrictions are eased slightly, it is clear the whole structure of social sport is under threat from this crisis.
Hollingsworth, below, said: “It will not just be able to start up again overnight and, having experienced social distancing, people might not want to go back into that sort of environment automatically. “Or that might be one of the things people are craving to do and as soon as the opportunity comes to go back, they will.We just don’t know.”
That is why Sport England have another £50m put aside to help clubs and organisations when they are allowed to reopen for public participation.
That could be well into 2021 and, in the meantime, Sport England is leading the campaign to encourage people to stay active in unprecedented times.
Their Join The Movement initiative is part of that and targets, among others, people who might have socio-economic challenges, people in selfisolation and people living in urban areas.
Hollingsworth said: “Keeping active has never been more important when you consider the profound benefits it can have for our mental health and physical wellbeing.
“We’re aiming to show that it is possible to stay active and even gain new habits, no matter your age or background.
“You need to find a way that can work for you. You don’t need to have all the gear.”
● Sport England are encouraging the nation to #StayInWorkOut for the benefit of their mental and physical health. To find ways you can get active during lockdown and to Join The Movement visit http://stayinworkout.org