Play Gloucestershire Launches ‘My Park’ Project
We are very excited to announce that Play Gloucestershire has been awarded £129,512 from Sport England and the #iwill Fund to help young people use sport to make a positive difference in their communities – all thanks to funding from the National Lottery.
Play Gloucestershire’s ‘My Park’ project is funded by Sport England’s Potentials Fund and will be based in Hesters Way, Matson and Stonehouse over the next three years. It will be led by 10-14 year olds, who will find ways to make their local green spaces great places for sport and physical activity, through volunteering, campaigning and fundraising.
Play Gloucestershire’s Director of Play Pip Levett said:
“We want to create a desire in young people living in these communities, to get more active through sport and physical activity, supported by our Play Rangers. Young people tell us that they are not getting outdoors, are not active enough and fearful of playing in their local parks. This project is all about utilising the strengths in young people to effect positive change for themselves, their peers, their family and their home community.
“We are thrilled to be chosen as one of only 32 projects nationally to be awarded funding. The selection process has been really tough, and we are determined to enable young people to take part in a project that will not only help them, but also their peers and their home community. I’d like to thank Sport England, the iwill Fund and National Lottery players for enabling us to use the power of sport and physical activity to improve the wellbeing of children and communities over the next three years”.
Sport England’s Director of Sport Phil Smith said:
“Through social action young people can help others get active and benefit themselves in lots of ways; social action can do wonders for job and career prospects, mental health and making friends.
“That’s why volunteering and social action is a key part of Sport England’s new strategy, Towards an Active Nation. We’re delighted to be helping Play Gloucestershire enable more young people to be the catalysts for change in their neighbourhood.
“It’s one of 32 projects in which Sport England is investing over £4 million to support volunteering projects and opportunities between now and 2021. These projects will test various different approaches, with the ultimate aim being a larger number and more diverse volunteers. We are targeting people who are currently less likely to volunteer in sport, such as women, disabled people, people from BAME groups and people on a low income.”
The #iwill campaign is run by the charity Step Up To Serve. Its Chief Executive, Dr Rania Marandos, said:
“It is fantastic to see such a range of projects receive funding through the #iwill campaign’s partnership with Sport England in support of our collective aim of making meaningful social action part of life for more 10 to 20-year-olds.”
