Sports Opportunity Fund shows its impact
A survey of recent Samworth Brothers Sports Opportunity Fund recipients has highlighted the impact of the Fund. The Samworth Brothers Sports Opportunity Fund supports clubs and organisations in our communities helping young people, particularly with some level of disadvantage, develop life skills through sport. Since November 2013 the Fund has helped over 90 clubs and organisations with more than 160 awards and over £1.9 million of funds awarded or pledged.
The 2019 survey spoke to 25 organisations who have been award recipients in the last 18 months. 84% of award recipients said they had been able to increase the number of young people they were able to help and improve the quality of the activities they offered. Other award recipients outlined how their awards had helped in other aspects.
The ways in which clubs had achieved an increase in participation number included;
52% being able to provide additional equipment
48% – providing additional coaching capacity
36% – providing additional access to facilities
44% – providing additional support staff
Main ways fund recipients had improved the quality of activities on offer included;
58% being able to offer better quality equipment
45% offering more and better support staff
75% of award recipients said they were able to offer more chances for young people to participate in competitive sport.
60% of recipients said the award had helped to strengthen local community ties and relationships and more than a third said it had helped to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in their community. There is more information on the Samworth Brothers Sports Opportunity Fund here https://www.samworthbrothers.co.uk/responsibilities/community/sports-opportunity-fund/
(The Impact Study surveyed 25 recent fund recipients in Leicestershire, Cornwall and Manchester.)