More Community Chest grants boost local sports clubs

More than £8,000 has been invested into grassroots sport in Bridgend County Borough thanks to the latest round of Community Chest grants.

A Sport Wales funded initiative that is run locally by Bridgend County Borough Council and agreed by a panel of volunteers, Community Chest offers grants of up to £1,500 so that sports clubs, organisations and groups can help more people to get more active, more often.

Among those boosted by the latest round of grants are the Cornelly Striders running group. As the club is growing fast, they’ve been awarded £960 to spend on training the extra leaders they need to take their sessions.

The Pencoed Triathlon Club will also be training a new coach thanks to the £540 grant they received, while the Aberkenfig Boys and Girls Club will be setting up a new under 7s football team.

They were awarded £1,225 which they will be using to fund coach education, first aid and safeguarding courses as well as the equipment required to set up a new team.

Five other local clubs – Rest Bay Lifeguards, Tondu Field Target Shooting, Vertigo Trampline Club, All Star Gymnastics Club and the Impetus Dance Community Interest Group – were also successful with their applications for funding.

Since the millennium, the Community Chest scheme has ploughed well over a million pounds into grassroots sport in Bridgend County Borough, helping to provide the equipment needed to set up new clubs and train up the volunteers who are the foundation of community sport.

Behind every successful sports club are a dedicated bunch of volunteers and coaches who give up their time for others because of their love of sport. I’m thrilled that the Community Chest scheme is once again funding more of these individuals to receive the training they need to provide high quality opportunities for others to enjoy getting active.

I’d like to remind all local sports clubs, organisations and groups that if you have an idea for creating new sporting opportunities but need a bit of a helping hand to make it a reality then the Community Chest scheme is there for you. Each club, organisation or group is entitled to apply for a maximum grant of £1,500 every year. We still have £24,705 of Community Chest funding left to allocate to worthy recipients in this current financial year so please don’t miss out.”

Councillor Dhanisha Patel, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Future Generations

For further information about the Community Chest scheme, please visit the Sport Wales website or contact Andrew Jones on 01656 642745 or andrew.jones2@bridgend.gov.uk