Football, hockey and boxing clubs are among those given a boost from a new grassroots sports fund established by Fibrus.
The full fibre broadband company originally set aside £30,000 for the initiative but an extra £17,000 was added to the initial pot after applications flooded in this spring.
In Cumbria, 20 grassroots sports clubs are set to benefit from the investment. These clubs, who are working with young people, will get a share of the cash, covering everything from rugby to golf, football to cricket, swimming to hockey, all funded through the Play It Forward fund.
Appleby Football and Squash Club will be able to allow more young people to take part in their activities thanks to their grant which will pay for additional goalposts for their junior teams.
Martin Smith, club chairman, said: “Our juniors have doubled over the past few years and we’ve now got 10 teams so this grant will provide us with the facilities and equipment to support that.
“We’re in a rural community so that means we have kids from the town but also from the nearby villages and that makes us a real asset to local people.”
Carlisle Youth Zone is benefitting from the scheme by replacing old or broken equipment.
Fiona Fergus, business support and operations manager, said: “We have 1,000 young people coming through our doors every week across six nights, plus holiday clubs on top of that – so our sports equipment has a lot of wear and tear – you can’t imagine how many footballs we go through!
“This grant means we can refresh our equipment and keep offering sports activities, plus it’s given us the chance to get lower basketball hoops, making the activity more accessible to disabled and younger people too.”
Dominic Kearns, chief executive of Fibrus, said the Play it Forward fund reflected the company’s commitment to invest in communities beyond broadband.
“Our promise to connect communities on a local level also means encouraging children to go outside, make friends and have fun,” he said.
“The decision to increase the fund this summer will help nearly 50 grassroots clubs to thrive and make a lasting impact in their communities, empowering young people to excel in sport, while enjoying themselves.
After an overwhelming response from the community, we felt compelled to extend the fund to make a positive impact on the lives of kids.
“If the ‘Play it Forward’ sports fund helps young people in local clubs to pursue their sporting passions and fulfil their potential, then it will have done its job both here in Northern Ireland and in Cumbria.”
Other projects that will receive grants include Copeland Athletics Club, Wigton Hockey Club, Milnthorpe & District Junior Football Club, Ulverston Wolverines Rugby Club and Wattsfield Youth Football Club in Kendal.
