EFL teams across England and Wales will now benefit from more than £600,000 worth of funding thanks to the first set of grants awarded by the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund.
Sky Bet alongside the EFL recently pledged to invest £6 million over six years. The fund was launched in November where former England star Emile Heskey helped to highlight the success of a walking football programme in Barnsley.
A panel of industry experts, including Sky Bet ambassador Jeff Stelling, judged proposals from EFL Club Trusts to facilitate projects across a range of categories, such as promoting the physical and social benefits of the game and improving local sporting facilities.
Some of these community projects include Leeds United’s ‘Social Goals’ programme to tackle isolation and Wycombe Wanderers upskilling and reintegrating prisoners back into society
One of the first teams to receive funding from the Building Foundations Fund were Blackburn Rovers who used the money to support their ‘Remember the Rovers’ initiative. The programme holds weekly sessions at Ewood Park and brings people who live with Alzheimer’s and dementia together.
Dan Colton, Managing Director of Sky Bet, said: “You only have to see the success of the programmes like ‘Remember the Rovers’ in Blackburn to realise the impact the Building Foundation Fund has and will continue to have over the coming years.
“We’re incredibly proud of the Building Foundation Fund and our work with the clubs across the EFL to breathe new life into the community projects they run.”
Here are just some of the examples of how the money will be spent:
Crewe Alexandra
League Two high-fliers Crewe hold weekly football sessions for under-represented and disadvantaged participants, those who are homeless or seeking asylum. The money provided by the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund will allow Crewe to double the amount of weekly sessions they hold a week.
Colchester United
The Colchester United Community Foundation began running a free weekly pan-disability football session with over 30 adults with disabilities in physical activity attending. The £10,000 grant means they can not only continue the sessions but also help their coaches to go on courses to enable them to lead sessions independently
Lincoln City
League One Lincoln are looking to grow a weekly drop-in session called ‘The Extra Time Hub’. This helps to foster a positive social and community impact among older individuals, with a focus on veterans. The money they received from the Fund will aid in staff training and equipment to help provide an accommodating environment
Sunderland
Sunderland AFC hosts the ‘Wear Together’ project that helps to increase the level of activity of over 55’s so that they can develop new social connections. The £10,000 grant will allow Sunderland to continue their work that they’re already doing.
Wear Together Participant, Wendy Warrington said: “The Wear Together programme encourages your fitness, it encourages you to engage with other people and it’s a great social setting.
“It’s had a massive positive impact, because prior to coming here I never used to leave the house much with COVID and coming to terms with my mobility. It’s helped my confidence and fitness; I probably wouldn’t have engaged with anything like this before.”
A full list of teams and their initiatives can be found here
Featured Image Credit: Sky Bet
Thomas Thorn