The chief executive of Sport England has vowed his organisation will do everything it can to stop community clubs going under during the coronavirus crisis.
Tim Hollingsworth revealed there have been over 6,000 worried clubs and local organisations asking for financial help amid fears the fabric of grassroots sport could be destroyed by the pandemic.
While Premier League clubs are involved in tricky negotiations over 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, local 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 and has set aside more funding for when sport eventually resumes.
“We’ve had more than 6,000 applications for our Community Emergency Fund,” said Hollingsworth. “That tells a story. The fact is that 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 doing.
“Right now,” said Hollingsworth, “these people just need support to help them keep going, to help them with the pain of the bills, the loss of subs, of bar takings. All these clubs are very important to the fabric of the local community.”
While there have been suggestions some community activities might be allowed when lockdown restrictions start to be slightly eased, it is clear the whole structure of local and social sport is under threat from this crisis.
“It will not just be able to start up again overnight,” said Hollingsworth. “And having experienced social distancing, people might not want to automatically go back into that sort of environment.
“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 £50million put aside to help clubs and organisations when they are allowed to re-open for public participation.
That could be not until well into 2021 and, in the meantime, Sport England is also leading the campaign to encourage people to stay active in these unprecedented times.
Their Join The Movement initiative is part of that campaign and targets, among others, people who might have socio-economic challenges, people in self-isolation 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 please visit http://stayinworkout.org
