Sport Hampshire & Isle of Wight (SHIOW) has awarded leading Sport for Development charity, Sported, a £5,000 grant to increase the number of disadvantaged young people playing sport in the Rushmoor and Basingstoke areas by developing five new satellite sport clubs.
Satellite clubs are extensions, or outposts of existing community sports clubs which are established in a new venue, usually a secondary school or college. The aim of satellite clubs are to grow the number of 11-25 year olds taking part in sport and provide a stepping stone into community clubs through the creation of relevant, appealing and convenient sporting opportunities.
Sported, a free membership organisation that specialises in supporting community sport clubs from deprived areas, will be working with SHIOW to identify five of its member clubs to become satellite clubs in Rushmoor and Basingstoke.
Each of the chosen clubs will benefit from being paired with one of Sported’s volunteer mentors, who will provide free expert support on developing the club’s sustainability and satellite club programme. The clubs will also be eligible to apply for funding from SHIOW to get their respective satellite programmes off the ground.
Priya Samuel, Satellite Clubs Manager at Sport Hampshire & IOW, said: “SHIOW continues to be innovative in delivery and welcomes partnerships with organisations who sit outside the traditional sports development sector. It is vital that the satellite clubs initiative reaches young people from varied backgrounds. Forging new links with Sported and its member clubs will create new opportunities for disadvantaged young people to take part in sport, in a safe and welcoming environment”.
Jo Irving, Manager at Sported said: “Sported’s membership network provides an effective channel to reach some of the most marginalised young people in the South East. Thanks to funding and support from SHIOW, our members will be given the advice, skills and resources they need to safeguard their clubs’ futures and expand their reach within the local community.”