Sport England legacy fund given 50% boost

More local sports fields across the country are to be safeguarded and improved after Sport England announced a 50 per cent boost to its Protecting Playing Fields Olympic and Paralympic legacy fund. 

The £5 million increase, made possible by strong sales of National Lottery tickets, is in response to huge demand for the programme from sports clubs and other local groups.

Following a record number of bids, 75 projects have been successful in the latest funding round and will share a total of £3.5 million. All will be protected for at least 25 years. Dozens more organisations will be able to bid for investment when a further funding round opens on 10 June.

Sport England Chair, Nick Bitel, said: “The popularity of this legacy fund shows just how important good local playing fields are to grassroots sport. I’m delighted that even more communities will now benefit thanks to this extra Lottery funding. But Sport England’s support for playing fields is about much more than money; every day our experts play a vital role in protecting sports provision through the planning system.”

Among the projects benefiting is Skipton Rugby Football Club in North Yorkshire. After a season when waterlogging has seen dozens of matches and training sessions cancelled, the club will spend £50,000 on a new drainage system that means rain will no longer stop play.

Mel Mason, President of Skipton Rugby Football Club, said: “This project will make a significant contribution to address the long standing drainage issues at the club and address the issues identified in the Craven Council’s Playing Pitch Strategy.”

Other projects to receive funding offers of between £20,000 and £50,000 include:

·         Bere Regis Sports Club in Dorset, which will use £45,180 to convert farm land into sports pitches, enabling the club to open up sporting opportunities to more local people.