A GRANT scheme from City of York Council has shared more than £12,000 between clubs in the city to help boost sport and wellbeing.

The council's Sport and Active Leisure grant scheme has shared a total £12,737 among 26 sports and activity clubs, in order to make them more accessible, offer more sports options and further improve safety and wellbeing standards.

To support club members’ wellbeing, all successful applicants are required to complete mental health awareness training. They are also given a small award to support undertaking this nationally-recognised scheme.

Councillor Darryl Smalley, executive member for culture, leisure and communities at City of York Council, said: “A total of 30 clubs applied and, such was the quality of their applications, we were pleased to be able to support 26 clubs with a share of a total £12,737.

“The support varied from opening up new opportunities such as creating a girls cricket team, making fees more affordable, improving and maintaining sports equipment and providing health and safety kit.

“We’re now looking forward to the next round of funding for Small Grants and for Hub Club Funds, which will open on April 4."

Small Grants aim to help clubs improve their community engagement and to offer health and wellbeing advice. This year’s grants included support for the Bishopthorpe White Rose FC, which applied successfully for a defibrillator, lifebuoys for their new ground’s pond and safety signage.

David Carruthers, Clifton Alliance Cricket Club’s sponsorship and grants lead, said: "We are very pleased to receive a grant from City of York Council. The money is being used to set up a new dedicated girls’ cricket team, which will start in April 2022.

“Introducing this in the Yorkshire-wide league is a significant development. It allows us to offer the many girls who enjoy cricket, a team in which they can play, and we are working in conjunction with other local cricket clubs to deliver this.”

York Canoe Club applied for funds to buy new equipment, York Burton Lane Club was successful in applying for support to keep fees affordable for members who enjoy darts, pool and Boccia and Open Country, which runs a tandem club in York that takes people with visual impairments on cycle rides. They applied for funding to maintain their fleet of bikes ready for the start of the new spring season.

Some of the other clubs awarded Small Grants included Drifters Netball based in Holgate, Rufforth Tennis Club, Wigginton Petanque Club, Wigginton Tennis Club, Burnholme Badminton Club, Heslington Cricket Club, Heslington FC, Melbourne CIC and New Earswick Sport Club.

Applications for the Small Grants and Hub Club Funds will open on April 4. For further details, visit the City of York Council website at: https://bit.ly/3t6IhL5