Cash4Clubs ‘Clubs In Crisis’ fund distributes £1.79m in first three months to UK sports clubs most in need

LONDON, August 17 2021 – The ‘Clubs in Crisis’ fund, a partnership between Made by Sport and Cash4Clubs, which has been funded by Flutter Entertainment with a donation of £4.79 million, has reached a major milestone, having distributed over £1.79 million in its first three month to hundreds of sports clubs across the UK, all of which have been devastated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past 18 months.

The ‘Clubs in Crisis’ fund has granted awards of £2,021 to 896 clubs across 42 participating community foundations, with further distributions to be made in the coming weeks. Around 65% of grants have been provided to clubs whose primary social outcomes are developing life skills and improving mental health, with the remaining focused on community building (21%), reducing crime and anti-social behaviour (11%), and improving youth employability (3%).

Clubs from all parts of the UK have benefitted from the fund. In Northern Ireland, where demand has been unprecedented, over £120,000 has been administered. Close to £140,000 has been awarded to clubs in Scotland and over £58,000 to those in Wales. In England, sporting organisations including the Leeds Powerchair Football Club in Leeds and the Trafford Handball Club in Manchester have received much-needed financial support, as well as a variety of different clubs in rural regions from Cornwall to Cumbria, where such funding makes a significant difference.

Launched in April 2021, the Clubs in Crisis fund is open to local sports organisations that aim to deliver positive social outcomes for young people. To qualify, clubs must have turnover of less than £75,000 and demonstrate that they are focused on using sports as a social development tool. By focusing on supporting clubs that use sport for social outcome, rather than sporting excellence, the fund is the first of its kind on a national scale. Through its partnership with UK Community Foundations (“UKCF”) as grant distributor, the Clubs in Crisis fund represents a new approach that aims to create networks and gain fresh perspectives into supporting what has been a traditionally hard to reach sector.

The Fund is wholly funded by a £4.79 million donation by Flutter through its Cash4Clubs programme and is administered by Made by Sport in partnership with UKCF.

Commenting on the milestone, Peter Jackson, CEO of Flutter said: “It’s fantastic to see that this funding is reaching those clubs that really need it. Flutter has a long history of supporting grassroots sports and I’m delighted that in just three months £1.79 million of the available funding is already making a difference on the ground. The response that Made By Sport has received demonstrates the clear need for this type of funding and I hope that this inspires others to get involved so that we can strengthen the new support networks we are building for this hard to reach sector. We decided early on last year that we should not benefit from support schemes that were put in place by the Government to help struggling businesses during the pandemic, and business rates relief was part of that. There is still some way to go to distribute Flutter’s donation in full and we will continue to work closely with Made by Sport and its partners to ensure it reaches clubs that are delivering a real difference to the lives of young people in the local communities they serve.”

Justin King, Chairman of Made by Sport added: “After an unprecedented 18 months and with schools having to close their doors, young people have really felt the brunt of the pandemic, and support is needed now more than ever for clubs across the country - as shown by the sheer volume of grants made in such a short space of time. Access to sport can be life-changing for young people both mentally and physically and contribute towards better life outcomes. I’m delighted that our partnership with Cash4Clubs is already making such an impact.”

Flutter Entertainment has 349 Paddy Power shops across the UK, which have been closed for large periods of the last 18 months due to lockdowns. The £4.79 million donation represents the full amount of business rates relief it has benefitted from between March 2020 and March 2021.

Find out more about the Cash4Clubs ‘Clubs in Crisis’ fund and how your club can secure a grant here:

https://bit.ly/3vODUod

For further information, please contact: communications@flutter.com

Made By Sport

Made By Sport is a charity which raises awareness and funding for grassroots sports clubs and organisations that work with young people across the UK. The charity was launched in 2019 with the aim of championing the power of sport to tackle social issues such as building stronger communities, youth employment, crime and anti-social behaviour reduction, mental health awareness and developing life skills.

Visit www.madebysport.com to find out more.