£500,000 Sports Hardship Fund is launched

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA has launched a £500,000 Hardship Fund for the sports sector.

Sports clubs and sporting organisations from the voluntary and community sector, which are unable to receive support from other Government Covid-19 Mitigation Funds, will be able to apply to Sport NI for a small grant of £2,000 to help with immediate financial commitments to maintain their facilities during the Covid-19 restrictions.

Sport NI CEO Antoinette McKeown said: “The COVID19 crisis has had an immediate impact on the whole sports sector which comprises 80 governing bodies and approximately 4,000 clubs and over half the population who engage regularly in sport and physical recreation.

"The sports sector has lost critical income and it is essential that we provide a lifeline to our valued clubs and their members who are playing a vital role as volunteers, helping local communities fight back in this crisis.

"Sport provides intrinsic mental, emotional and physical benefits and delivers significantly for society. Clubs are at the heart of our communities, supported by their governing bodies of sport and provide a sense of community connection, belonging and resilience, making a significant contribution to their local economy.

"It is vital therefore that sport is protected so that it prevails to support our recovery from Covid 19. Sport NI is delighted to work in partnership with the Department for Communities to deliver this much needed fund.”

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