Three CSPs that have brokered innovative new partnerships to keep people active have recently secured National Lottery funding from Sport England. The CSPs are amongst 18 organisations funded as part of a programme to tackle drop out and help people stay active during a major life change, such as a serious injury, having a baby, a new job or retiring.
GreaterSport, Active Norfolk, and Living Sport CSPs have created new partnerships to help people live active lives after changes to their personal circumstances. Importantly, the projects are designed to capture learning that can be shared more widely.
Living Sport secured £500,000 for the new Active Communities project which aims to support people who move home into an area they don’t know well, to ensure they don’t break the habit of being active. The project will focus on women and girls, particularly new mothers, and single young men.
The project, is a successful collaboration between a large number of partners across the area including Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Peterborough City Council and Vivacity, developers Urban and Civic and BPHA Housing Association. Read more about the Active Communities
Active Norfolk have secured funding for two projects. The first project was awarded £290,000 to increase opportunities for over 1500 disabled adults to be active, and to develop physical activity research. The fund will be used to commission the delivery of a significant number of activity opportunities for those living with disabilities in the county.
The second award for PARTS (Physical Activity in Retirement Transitions), sees another £45,000 investment for one year to develop new research into older people's physical activity levels as they enter retirement. Physical activity in later life has a range of social, physical and mental health benefits, but currently not enough is known about how physical activity habits are affected by retirement. This funding will help to develop a greater understanding of the ways to bridge the gap between retirement and physical activity. Read more about both projects
GreaterSport
Through a partnership with Tameside Armed Services Community (TASC) and further partners including Tameside Council and the Ministry of Defence, Greatersporthave been awarded a grant of £319,500. The funding is for a three year pilot project which will benefit the ex-service personnel Community across Tameside and Greater Manchester.
Donations received at the 2016 Greater Manchester Sports Award and 2016 North West Football Awards enabled a pilot of different opportunities for veterans throughout Greater Manchester., and the learnings from these pilots have been used to develop this programme.
The project will develop a programme of physical activity and sport sessions to be delivered by partner organisations and community clubs. It aims to decrease social isolation among veterans and increase the amount of ex-service personnel engaging in physical activity, particularly during the transition into civilian life. Spanning over three years, the project will be delivered in Tameside for the first year, then expanding across Greater Manchester for the final two years. Read more about the project
Lee Mason, Chief Executive of CSP Network says
“Brokering new partnerships with organisations within and outside of sport, and learning what works locally in driving levels of physical activity, are key elements of the new role of CSPs as we support Sport England with the local implementation of their strategy. I am delighted to see that three CSPs have received funding to support these new partnerships and create new learning that will help people live active lives after changes to their personal circumstances”
The projects are supported by a new fund from Sport England. Phil Smith, Director of Sport, said “We know that when life changes, activity habits can change too,”. “Leaving school or college, starting a family, retiring from work, or becoming ill - all big challenges for even the most committed to sport and fitness.
“Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, these 18 organisations will explore how to help people keep their activity habits or find new ones. Sport England will support this work and share what works – and what doesn't – more widely among the sport and health sector so that more can be done to help support people to stay active whatever happens in their lives.”
Tracey Crouch, Minister for Sport and Civil Society, said:
"We know that being active boosts mental as well as physical wellbeing so the benefits of it to our busy lives are huge.
“This National Lottery funding will bring sport to local communities by funding projects that make it easier for people to stay active, following a major change in their life."
For more details on all the organisations selected for funding visit
