Westminster Foundation and Sported launch partnership to benefit clubs and organisations in Sutherland with £600k of funding and expertise
Over £600,000 of funding, resources and expertise is to be invested jointly between the Highlands and Lancashire through a ground-breaking partnership between the UK’s largest grassroots sport charity and The Westminster Foundation.
The five-year initiative will have a rural focus that will address specific social issues and use community clubs and organisations in and around Sutherland to drive change and build an expanded network of local hubs that collaborate closely together in each part of the country.
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Emily Bowie, Sported’s network co-ordinator for the programme in the Highlands, said: “The starting point is to seek out and engage with the different stakeholders in the area, and ensure the partnership meets the needs of the local community.
“As someone who loves the Highlands and being active, this crossover between Sported and the Westminster Foundation has a real ambition to make a huge difference, not just within sport but in towns and village across the north of Scotland.
“By connecting with local game-changers and building relationships across the area, I truly believe that we will see a strong impact over the five years of the programme – and well beyond.”
The Westminster Foundation is an independent grant making trust and registered charity, representing the charitable interests of The Duke of Westminster and Grosvenor businesses, which partners with organisations like Sported to inspire children and young people and provide opportunities for them to thrive through grant-making.
With assistance targeted specifically into local groups in the Highlands, the investment from the Foundation will be utilised by Sported to grow sport and exercise provision within the region with a mission to improve the lives of the communities through better access to participation in local physical activity opportunities.
Bel Crewe, the Westminster Foundation’s grant strategy manager, said: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Sported over the next five years to deliver vital work in Lancashire and Sutherland.
“Our commitment to rural communities aligns perfectly with Sported's values, and together we aim to make a significant impact through sport.
“This partnership represents a unique opportunity to drive positive change and improve the lives of children and young people in these communities.”
Sported supports a network of nearly 5,000 grassroots sport clubs and organisations across the UK, working with them to access funding and resources, and provide guidance.
The charity, set up in 2008, will also deploy a bank of professional experts in a range of skills and experiences through its volunteer consultant programme to support sports groups to impact their communities across the area.
Sported chief executive Sarah Kaye said: “To be able to announce this collaboration with the Westminster Foundation is a truly exciting moment for us at Sported.
“We are committed to seeing the positive power of sport utilised to benefit young people and local communities.
Joining forces with the Westminster Foundation will enable us to unleash specific tailored support for the Highlands and in Lancashire in ways we haven’t been able to before.
“We look forward to working with the local groups and organisations in both of those areas, as well as the Foundation, to understand the needs of the communities and how sport can transform the lives of those living there.”
