Cash to restart table tennis for those with learning disabilities and football sessions for Eastern Europeans was how the Rosmini Centre, Wisbech, spent a £2,500 Living Sport grant.

The example was provided to show the diversity and variety of money available to help sports and physical activity.

Living Sport says it has grants of up to £10,000 for organisations across Fenland.

Wisbech Standard: Outdoor football for Eastern Europeans attracted funding for the Rosmini Centre, WisbechOutdoor football for Eastern Europeans attracted funding for the Rosmini Centre, Wisbech (Image: Living Sport)


It is looking to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on activity levels in under-represented groups across the county through Sport England’s Tackling Inequalities Fund.

The fund, now in its second phase, supports lower socio-economic groups, black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.

Simon Fairhall, chief executive of Living Sport, said: “When compared with the rest of Cambridgeshire, Fenland is a region with clear health inequalities and rising disparities.

“The Tackling Inequalities Fund has been created to try and reduce the widening of these differences in sport, physical activity, and mental health and wellbeing.

“Living Sport is so proud to support those worst affected by the pandemic and connect these groups to life changing funding, helping to make a positive change to such important groups in the area.”

The Tackling Inequalities Fund forms part of a £210 million support package provided by Sport England to help the sport and physical activity sector through the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

One Fenland organisation to receive support from Living Sport is Wisbech Town Cricket Club, which wanted to give local people in more deprived areas of the town the chance to take part in sporting activity.

Josh Porter, junior volunteer coach at Wisbech Town CC, said: “Making sport more accessible to everyone was a benefit to the children's wellbeing and hopefully they learnt new skills in sport and in everyday life.

“Volunteering in this programme has certainly helped me improve my coaching and want to help the club deliver more to the local community.”

It’s hoped that Living Sport, which aims to improve the health, wellbeing and happiness of people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, can now help more Fenland groups to encourage their participants to be more active.

Living Sport has also supported Age UK, People and Animals UK, CCORN and Whittlesey Table Tennis Club.

To apply for support or for more details, email Rebecca Evans on rebecca.evans@livingsport.co.uk, call 07739 655062 or visit: https://www.livingsport.co.uk/.