Bognor Regis Town Council steps in toe save children’s sports project

A project to bring sport to pre-school children has been saved after Bognor Regis Town Council stepped in when Sport England pulled its funding.
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At a policy and resources committee meeting on Monday, councillors were asked to consider a request from South Coast Sports (SCS) for emergency funding of £2,064 for its Active Tots programme.

A report by the town clerk said SCS received a request from Active Sussex to create a project for pre-school children and their parents to be active together in the area, which was to be funded by Sport England.

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“Their Active Tots programme does this, and they planned to extend their current sessions to an additional venue at Bersted Community Hall, with two sessions; Stage 1 for ages two to three and a half years and their parents/carers and Stage 2 for ages three and a half to five years,” the report said.

Bognor Regis Town Council steps in to help fund children's sports projectBognor Regis Town Council steps in to help fund children's sports project
Bognor Regis Town Council steps in to help fund children's sports project

“The programme would see 50 per cent of places go to families in receipt of Universal Credit, receiving help from Children Services or with Early Help Plans with the other 50 per cent due to be paid for by families who could afford them to cover the other 50 per cent of the costs.

“The project was due to run for 24 weeks commencing in September and concluding next spring, to then be reviewed. “SCS were going to also give each child a mini football and were partnering with JW Sports on this.

“Unfortunately, Sport England have altered their requirements and have now decided that pre-school children and their families will not be a target demographic and have therefore withdrawn their funding.

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“SCS therefore have everything in place. The coach is booked; the facilities are booked, and the flyers are done and they are devastated that this project may not happen.

“SCS have advised that this is such an area of need, and the earlier children are exposed to positive experiences of being active, the more likely they are to choose to be active as they go through life.

“The shortfall for this project is £2,064. This will provide 12 places (six Stage 1 and six Stage 2) for the duration of the project (24 weeks, each family will receive 12 free weeks so we can support 24 families) and providing each child with a football to practice with at home.”

Councillors voted in favour of giving funding but asked if they could be notified of how many children came from the town council’s wards.

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Supporting funding, Cllr Henry Jones (LibDem, Orchard) said due to the pandemic children of this age had been unable to engage in these sorts of programmes for a large portion of their lives.

Cllrs John Erskine (LibDem, Pevensey) and Adam Cunard (Ind, Hatherleigh) questioned not knowing how many of the children were from the town council area and Mr Erskine asked if they could find this out.

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