Clubs, Coaches, Volunteers Newsletter January 2026
FREE Club Culture Reflection Tool
Clubs across Kent and Medway are invited to take part in our FREE Club Culture Reflection Tool pilot – a great opportunity for clubs to explore what’s working well and strengthen their environment. The tool helps clubs reflect on three core pillars:
- Supportive – welfare and safety come first
- Welcoming – everyone feels they belong
- Inclusive – all voices are represented
If you’d like to strengthen your club culture, improve communication and shared understanding, support volunteers and participants to thrive and make your club a place people feel proud to be part of, then why not get involved. The free tool works for clubs of all sizes, sports and structures.
Buddle Training and Resources
Active Kent & Medway recently attended the Buddle Active Partnership Event for the South East and London, exploring how Buddle can support the development of volunteers and strengthen the skills needed to sustain community clubs.
The session focused on the challenges volunteers face around capacity and confidence, and how Buddle’s training opportunities, learning resources and practical guidance can help volunteers develop the skills to lead and support local activity. Discussions also highlighted the value of improving awareness of Buddle resources and courses.
Funding Opportunities
Workforce Development Fund
Thinking about becoming an activity leader or yoga instructor for your local community group? Perhaps an assistant coach to support your club’s weekly sessions?
Active Kent & Medway’s Workforce Development Fund can cover up to 50% of the costs (maximum £500) towards qualifications or awards that increase the quantity and quality of leaders, coaches, instructors and officials in Kent, and therefore assist the development of sport and physical activity in the county.
Follow this link to apply for the Workforce Development Fund
Active Kent & Medway Small Grant
Active Kent & Medway can provide funding of up to £500 towards equipment, coaching fees, venue hire or marketing for projects that encourage and increase participation in physical activity for Kent or Medway residents.
Funding 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. Please check the grant conditions and criteria.
Small Grant for FANS Members
FANS members in full-time education can apply for small grants to help them with the costs associated with training and competing at a national level.
Applications for this small grant open twice a year, in February and in September. The next application window opens on 1 February 2026.
Funding For All Webinar: Registering & Claiming Gift Aid
This FREE online webinar from Funding for All is for Kent and Medway charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs)* who wish to learn more about claiming Gift Aid. Gift Aid is an easy way to boost your voluntary donations by at least 25%, but many charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) are still not registered to claim. In the session they will walk you through the basics step-by-step so that you have a better understanding of the process, how to register with HMRC and ensure you’re ready to make your first claim.
Date:
Volunteers Recognised
Freedom Leisure celebrated their inaugural ‘Ashford Hero Awards’ at the Stour Centre on Friday 9 January 2026. Active Kent & Medway were delighted to attend and sponsor the ‘Safeguarding and Welfare in Sport’ Award. The award was won by Bev Latham for her role as the East Kent Youth Football League Welfare, Safeguarding and EDI Officer. Congratulations to all the other outstanding nominees for this award category: John Heaver, Ashford Rugby Club; Jacqi Snare, Ashford Athletic Club; Jo Dawson, Ashford Hockey Club.
“It was a privilege to attend and witness the dedication and passion of so many individuals.” Jimmy McCormack, Sport Welfare Officer, Active Kent & Medway.
Needs Assessment Training Module
A pioneering Needs Assessment Training Module, developed by Bennett Leisure and Planning Ltd, was launched last month in partnership with Active Kent & Medway, Active Dorset, University of Kent, Canterbury City Council and Sport England. A significant step forward in creating a standardised approach to data collection for Playing Pitch Strategies, ensuring consistency and quality across our region.
The first-ever training session took place in December at University of Kent and Bournemouth University. Holly attended the session and told us:
“The training was helpful and interesting. It was great to have both classroom-based theory and practical experience, which together made the process easy to understand. The hands-on part was particularly valuable as it helped me put theory into practice and gave me confidence to go out and audit the facilities.”
Play Their Way
The Play Their Way movement aims to support coaches to give children and young people a choice in their experiences of activity, creating space for them to voice their wishes and enable them to take ownership of their development journey.
Play Their Way aims to kick-start a movement of child-first coaches, organisations and people, changing the game from the ground up. Discover the suite of tools and resources to support your delivery.
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 posts 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 2026 will take place from 9 – 15 February. Place2Be‘s official resources are available for you to download, whether you’re a primary school, secondary school, family, community group or workplace.
The theme for 2026 is ‘This is My Place’, and their aim is to support the systems around children and young people to help them feel they belong.
Other News
Contact Us
We’d love to hear from you
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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