East Anglia Gymnastics Receive Funding for Acropad Air Slopes

DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS, WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. 

We are delighted to announce another round of funding awarded pre-lockdown for June 2020. The very talented and dedicated team at East Anglia Gymnastics.

Running since March 2019, they run gymnastics classes for all ages and abilities with a current, 230 members!

The funding provided has contributed towards Acropad air slopes. These help with forward and backwards walkovers, hand springs, flicks, ariels and other acro tricks. 

Having this standard of kit helps us attract older children to stay in sport and keep active into adulthood. This will mean the gymnasts can achieve skills they haven’t previously been able to; and all of our club members love using it!

"Our vision is to help children build confidence and achieve things they once didn’t think was possible and with your help we will be one step closer to achieving their goals." ~ Benjamin Walker, Director.

You can follow the team on Facebook and Instagram and we are hoping to see some of those acro tricks in motion soon.

If you are part of an amazing team in our borough and would like to apply for up to £500 of funding, we are taking applications for awarding in September 2020.

Update from the Trust

We’ve been working hard over the past year to reach communities, teams and individuals in the borough of Great Yarmouth, and need your help to reach more. The Trust has granted funds to football clubs, basketball teams, gymnastics clubs, boxing clubs, schools, running groups and carers in the community encouraging the community to get active. The funds are for kit, equipment, marketing costs or maintenance of facilities.

To give an idea of how our funding has helped in our borough, we have collated those who have successfully received grants. We hope you enjoy reading the full stories.

---

Flegg High Parkrun: We are pleased to announce that we have supported what we hope will be a fabulous venture: the Flegg High parkrun. To set up a parkrun requires funds, so whilst we have provided funding, we would love to help them reach their target with your support.

---

Spartans Amateur Boxing Club: The grant was used to purchase specialist equipment that allows young boxers to compete to required AIBA equipment standards. These items will allow all their boxers to compete at the highest level and at national boxing events.

"The funding is a fantastic contribution to the club as it will be spent on extra equipment for the ever-growing number of young children joining Spartans ABC."

“The funding bought boxing gloves and head-guards so more members can be involved in boxing shows.”

---

Yarmouth Football Club: Funding to support a new girls football club will increase opportunities for younger girls to get active in Great Yarmouth. The planned purchase list includes cones, bibs, balls and a new training software called ‘dribble up’, which is a fun and interactive way of developing ball skills.

“Having the money to invest in training facilities allows us to attract more local young people as we can provide high quality football coaching that is engaging and specific to their needs.”

---

East Norfolk Sixth form Basketball offers great sporting opportunities. Football is a big part of the college, and they are looking to diversify to attract other students into a different sport. The college is trying to grow the Basketball Club, which currently has between 12-15 students who regularly take part in Basketball training sessions at the college.

The grant will be for new branded kit as the team are now playing in regular fixtures, but only have an old very limited basketball kit. The grant will also help to provide the team with new balls for matches and training sessions. This means the small team can grow next year as the new equipment and kit will help to recruit new players from September 2019.

---

Hopton Primary School PTA:  The children were playing football matches in their PE kit, and it was felt that funding for proper kit would encourage those who don't participate in sport to do so outside of school hours. Some families can't commit to rigid training and games being held at the weekends. These children would have the opportunity of belonging to a school team, and the proper kits would help achieve this.

Mr Petersen from the school said: “The 'buzz' around football games is palpable with children so keen to know which number they are going to have and where they are going to play. The children look so smart, and it has made a difference in their confidence and sense of belonging."

---

Air Training Corps No 221: is a charity connected to the Royal Air Force. The squadron helps young people aged 12-21 to become better leaders, sportspeople and promote a spirit of adventure. The 29 members are mainly from the local area of Great Yarmouth.

 "We had an old outdated batch of t-shirts to play sports in. With new sportswear we can encourage more members from the community to join, and it will increase team spirit and motivation."

With new kit, the group will actively push more sporting activities weekly to encourage a healthier lifestyle and promote wellbeing.

---

Willow Tree Works provides a variety of activities for adults and children with additional needs. The activities include gardening, catering, DIY skills development and fitness and healthy eating programmes. Willow Tree Works is setting up a new fitness class which is open to learners and the wider community. The funds from GYSLT will provide specific fitness equipment for a new fitness session. The learners have access to a developing selection of activities which gives them a sense of purpose, increasing their skills base and allowing them to integrate not only with their peers but also working towards a healthier lifestyle. 

---

Caister Football Club: Received an extra boost to its attempts to improve the playing field with a £500 award from Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust. This award maximised Caister FCs fundraising efforts to purchase their own ground maintenance equipment enabling people of all ages and abilities to participate in football nearer to home.

---

Shrublands Junior Football Club: Shrublands JFC is a youth football club with 200+ members including one of a few girls’ teams in the area. The club was fundraising for new equipment to maintain the community club for 3-16 year olds. If you look closely, you can see the Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust logo on this brilliant team of under 14s at the Shrublands Football Club in Gorleston. 

“Fantastic investment into our club meaning we can replace old kit with new, we can't thank you enough” said the club’s spokesperson. 

---

Tai Chi for health NORSUF Running Group: Established in 2016 NORSUF Running Group is a free and friendly welcoming environment for new runners. You do not have to be a runner or achieve any standard to join; everyone takes part their way. 

With funding from Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust they were able to train two volunteer Run Leaders allowing them to offer more opportunities to join our group over a wider area around the borough. Those volunteers have now completed their training and are just awaiting their licence from England Athletics before they set up groups in Caister, Bradwell and Gorleston!

---

Southtown Primary School teaches 220 pupils in Great Yarmouth. We were very happy to support their application for football kit for all ages as it helps children participate far more in competitions and inter-school events. 

The school want to increase self-confidence as it gives all children a chance to play. Having a professional looking kit can’t be underestimated for children’s pride and motivation. 

Nuno in Year said “We feel proud to represent our school in our new kits. We all looked smart and it made us play better!”

---

East Norfolk Gymnastics Club: We were thrilled to have been able to push East Norfolk Gymnastics Club up to the funding amount they needed to buy new equipment.

They're a community-based gymnastics club, teaching both boys and girls from the age of 5 up to 18 years old. They have 75 members and a waiting list of over 200. The funding we've contributed to helped to buy a new set of asymmetrical bars. The old bars were over 20 years old and unable to be adjusted which they need to be able to do. The new equipment will help the gymnasts to perform greater skills and linking moves between the bars with greater confidence, which will help them when they compete in competitions. 

---

Revolutionary Roots: A Youth and Community Group working on various projects across the borough of Great Yarmouth. The group applied to the Trust for funds towards sports equipment which will aid holistically against substance abuse, anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. 

As well as working with mainstream young people the charity also helps other members of the community by: Working with young people to get involved in sport and physical activity and lessening boredom and anti-social behaviour, instead empowering towards personal development

The charities ethos is about running cost effective sessions across the borough, and the funding has enabled them to offer sessions out to other groups to utilise their equipment with the instructor.

---

If you are part of an amazing sports team or an individual and would like to apply for up to £500 of funding, then we are taking applications for awarding in May 2020.

Hopton CE Primary School on the Path to Team Spirit!

Hopton CE Primary School PTA work hard throughout the year to raise vital funds for their school. The children were playing football matches in their PE kit, and it was felt that funding for proper kit would encourage those who don't participate in sport to do so outside of school hours. Some families can't commit to rigid training and games being held at the weekends. These children would have the opportunity of belonging to a school team, and the proper kits would help achieve this.

Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust approved the application, and the team are already playing in their new kit! Mr Petersen from the school said:

"The difference a football kit can make...

This year Hopton CE Primary Academy decided to enter the local Y6 football league to give our children more opportunities to work as a team and to compete against other local schools. We wanted to expand our sports provision and give children a chance to shine in an environment outside of the classroom.

Competing in our first game, we turned up in our PE kit, some of which was school branded, some of which was not. When seeing that our opponents all had a team kit, it was visibly clear that the children already felt defeated. Having a football kit with the school badge would give the children an identity and make them proud to represent our school. It will bring them closer together and level the playing field before the game.

Since having the football kits, the 'buzz' around football games is palpable with children so keen to know which number they are going to have and where they are going to play. The children look so smart, and it has made a difference in their confidence and sense of belonging." Mr Petersend, Year 6 Teacher, Hopton Primary School.

If your club or group is in the borough of Great Yarmouth and needs seed funding, please enquire about funding for kit, equipment or other costs, we may be able to help.

Grant helps 221 Air Training Corps increase team spirit and motivation

221 Air Training Corps in their new kit

221 Air Training Corps is a charity connected to the Royal Air Force. The squadron helps young people aged 12-21 to become better leaders, sportspeople and promote a spirit of adventure. The 29 members are mainly from the local area of Great Yarmouth.

"We had an old outdated batch of t-shirts to play sports in. With the funding from Great Yarmouth Sports and Leisure Trust we will buy new sportswear. This means we can encourage more members from the community to join, and it will increase team spirit and motivation," said Nasreen Arub, Chairperson.

“Now that we all look like a team, we can play like a team”

— 221 Air Training Corps

With new kit, the group will actively push more sporting activities weekly to encourage a healthier lifestyle and promote wellbeing.

Sports England recently reported that nearly 60% of children and young people are not leading active lives - we are keen to encourage any organisation who is working to reverse this figure in the borough of Great Yarmouth.

The corps meets at Cadet Building, Suffolk Road, Gorleston, and for more information, call 01493 655136. You can find them on Facebook here.

If your club or group is in the borough of Great Yarmouth, please enquire about funding for kit, equipment or other costs, we may be able to help.

More than 40% of children and young people lead active lives

Sport England have published the results of a survey which shows that around 3 million children (43.3%) lead active lives, however of that group, only 1.2 million (17.5%) are meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of more than 60 minutes of activity a day, every day of the week.

Sports Minister Mims Davies said: "While it is encouraging that 3 million children do at least an average of 60 minutes of sport or physical activity every day, the number of young people who are not doing enough is simply unacceptable.

"We know that an active child is a happier child and efforts must be stepped up to encourage young people to live healthy, active lives and I know that Sport England are committed to making progress in this area.  

"Our School Sport and Activity Action Plan will also ensure that all children have access to quality PE, sport sessions and clubs. Together with the sport sector, parents and our local communities, we must build a comprehensive and cross Government offer to create a truly active nation."

Public Health England's head of diet, obesity and physical activity, Dr Alison Tedstone, added: “Physical activity is crucial for good physical and mental health of children and young people - this work is a timely reminder for everyone to do more to help them be more active.”  

We’re seeking teams, clubs and individuals in the borough of Great Yarmouth who need funding to help get or keep us active. Please spread the word.

FA says only one in three pitches at grassroots level adequate

The FA is considering selling Wembley Stadium to release funds to support community football, which we think is a great idea. But how is your pitch looking? Did you know we can help football teams in the borough of Great Yarmouth with seed funding of up to £500?

There are 21,000 grassroots clubs, 50 county FAs, 25,000 schools and 330 local authorities which are catered for by the FA and, along with the finding that only one in three grassroots pitches are of adequate quality, the FA's written evidence also highlights:

• 150,000 matches were called off last season due to poor facilities
• One in six matches are called off due to poor pitch quality
• 33 of 50 county FAs are without their own 3G pitch
• Cancelled matches account for the equivalent of 5,000,000 playing opportunities lost this year because of poor facilities
• There are half the number of 3G pitches in England than there are in Germany

"The word for grassroots football is 'crisis,'" said Kenny Saunders, who runs pressure group Save Grassroots Football. Read more about how the FA support grass roots football here

WE MAKE AWARDS OF UP TO £500 TO SUPPORT SPORT AND LEISURE COMMUNITY PROJECTS TO GET MORE PEOPLE ACTIVE IN THE BOROUGH OF GREAT YARMOUTH. CAN YOU HELP? THE APPLICATION FORM IS HERE!