Clubs, Coaches, Volunteers Newsletter January 2024
Funding Opportunities
Capital Grant for Sport
Is your sports club looking for funding to help with a new facility, building improvements, or looking at buying a piece of fixed equipment? Or do you need support to make your venue more accessible to disabled people?
The KCC Capital Grant for sport can offer up to £10,000 towards improving sport and physical activity facilities for residents across Kent. The deadline for next round of funding applications is 29 February 2024.
“The funding will enable us to increase and improve our playing facilities to support our current and future demand.”
Active Kent & Medway Small Grant
Could your organisation benefit from funding to get a project up and running?
Active Kent & Medway can provide funding of up to £500 towards projects that encourage and increase participation in physical activity for Kent or Medway residents.
Funding could be available for projects such as new programmes, festivals, events, launches or celebrations of activity, that re-engage with previous audiences and/or encourages those new to activity to continue to be active.
“A simple application and fast to be approved. It’s made such a difference to the lives of the people within the group.”
Introducing Buddle
Formerly known as Club Matters, Sport England recently launched Buddle, the new home for grassroots sports clubs and community physical activity groups.
The National Lottery-funded programme provides free learning and support resources to inspire and strengthen clubs and organisations offering sport and physical activity, as well as the professionals that work with them.
They share the latest information, training and tools to help clubs and organisations overcome challenges and make the most of the opportunities available to them.
New Sport Welfare Officers
Active Kent & Medway is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Sport Welfare Officers.
Stuart Butler and Jimmy McCormack have joined the team as part of the national network of officers recruited across England to support National Governing Bodies and their local clubs. Their role is to promote good practice and safe sport for children, young people and adults on a local level.
You can get in touch with Stuart at stuart.butler@kent.gov.uk or Jimmy at jimmy.mccormack@kent.gov.uk.
Find out about the role of the sport welfare officers
Sports Club Survey
As part of our vision to get more people, more active, more often, we are keen to engage with local Sports Clubs to understand what is working well and to identify what support is needed.
We have created a short survey to help influence our support offer to local clubs.
As a thank you for completing the survey, there will be a random prize draw on 31 January 2024 for a £100 Amazon Voucher. To enter the prize draw, please submit a contact name and email address for your Club at the end of the survey.
Safe in Sport Event Volunteers
The NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit recruits and trains Safe in Sport Event Volunteers to work face-to-face with sporting communities across the country. Volunteers attend events where they are tasked with sharing key safeguarding messages and resources, and gathering the views of the attendees.
By training local volunteers from within the community, the project supports increased understanding and awareness about safeguarding, and is a stepping stone to more involved safeguarding and welfare roles.
If you would like more information about volunteering, or you have an event that you would like to be considered for this project, please contact cpsu@nspcc.org.uk for the attention of Helen Shead.
Schools Open their Facilities
Active Kent & Medway is working with local schools to open their sport facilities for a broader range of young people, and to support the wider community by partnering with organisations who can deliver activities in these settings.
If you’re looking for a venue to deliver your community sessions, we recommend you take a look at the list of schools who have signed up to the Opening School Facilities programme here in Kent.
Alternatively, please contact Daniel Bromley at daniel.bromley@kent.gov.uk if you’d like to find out more and to link up with a local school.
Mental Health Support
Release the pressure
Active Kent & Medway is proud to support the Release the pressure campaign delivered by Kent County Council and A Better Medway.
We invite local clubs and other organisations across Kent and Medway to get behind this important and timely campaign. We’ve produced a campaign toolkit with editable posters, social media graphics and suggested tweets for local clubs, national governing bodies of sport and other organisations to use in their own promotion of the campaign.
Children’s Mental Health Week
Children’s Mental Health Week 2024 will take place from 5–11 February 2024.
The mental health awareness week aims to empower, equip and give a voice to all children and young people in the UK. This year’s theme is ‘My Voice Matters’.
Place to Be have free resources available to download so that everyone can take part. Take a look and see what’s available and how you can take part in supporting children’s mental health.
Other News & Announcements
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If there’s anything in this newsletter you’d like to discuss, then just get in touch and one of our team members will get back to you as soon as possible. Please email: activekent@kent.gov.uk
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