Game-changing partnership to give rural areas sporting chance
By Sported | 3 April 2025
Over £600,000 of funding, resources and expertise is to be invested in Sutherland in the Highlands and Lancashire through a ground-breaking partnership between the UK’s largest grassroots sport charity and The Westminster Foundation.
Sported has launched a five-year programme, funded through the Duke of Westminster’s foundation, which aims to improve lives and strengthen communities in the two regions by bringing grassroots sports groups and local organisations closer together.
The initiative will have a rural focus that will address specific social issues and use community clubs and organisations to drive change and build an expanded network of local hubs that collaborate closely together in each part of the country.
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.”
The Westminster Foundation is an independent grantmaking 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 the Highlands and Lancashire, the investment from the Foundation will be utilised by Sported to grow sport and exercise provision within the two chosen regions 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 Grants 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.
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.”
“This is a great chance to grow opportunities for involvement in sport especially for young people in Lancashire. It is something I’m delighted to be a part of,” John Murray , the Sported Project Coordinator for the programme in Lancashire, said.
“I’m passionate about how sport can benefit local people and proud of my community. This is an opportunity to get involved in an exciting journey, building on Sported’s vibrant network supporting clubs, groups and individuals to improve access to sport for communities across North Lancashire.”
Sported’s agreement with the Westminster Foundation is the latest in a broad range of partnerships that the organisation has with businesses and trusts to help unleash the power of sport within local communities in the UK.