Justin Tomlinson MP has welcomed the news that Swindon Croquet Club has secured yet more Olympic legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Fund.
The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the £135 million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.
The Croquet Club has secured another £49,478 of National Lottery Funding to securely fence its lawns and to relay them to provide tournament quality courts. Last year the club received an award which provided a new club room which officially opened by Justin, and this enabled the club to provide better facilities for its members and for the many community groups it supports. The facilities proved so popular that often all the lawns were in multiple use and it was difficult to fit in the groups wanting to come and play. Consequently the club achieved its 4 year target for usage in just one year, and this prompted Sport England to allow them to make another application. Sport England were so impressed with the quality of the application prepared by the Club, with the wealth of detail they provided, that they decided to take the most unusual step of giving a second grant.
Swindon Croquet Club has welcomed people from many different groups to its lawns, including the disabled, the blind and partially sighted, the bereaved, stroke survivors, the young, the elderly, and groups such as History Clubs, Trefoil Guild, Church groups, City Socialising and a Bowls Club.
Justin Tomlinson said: "I am proud to support the work of the Swindon Croquet Club who through their fantastic community engagement are a real sporting gem. Working with people of all ages, they are providing opportunities to get active, get involved and get a huge amount of enjoyment. The Swindon Croquet Club are a real credit to their sport and to our local community. Sports clubs across Swindon do tremendous work, not only promoting a healthy and active lifestyle but also by playing an important role in our communities. I am always happy to support any local sport group in its efforts to secure funding!:"
Sport England’s Chair, Nick Bitel, said: "Two years on from the Olympics, this National Lottery investment is helping us to deliver a lasting sporting legacy for Swindon. With investment now on offer from our Inspired Facilities Fund until 2017, we look forward to supporting many more sports clubs in the south west who play such a vital role in grassroots sport".
Many more communities are now set to benefit from the hugely popular fund, after Sport England announced that it was extending Inspired facilities until 2017 with an additional £40 million of National Lottery funding to invest. You can find out more at www.sportengland.org/inspiredfacilities
