Community Games nets £1m

 

A national Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy programme, Community Games, will continue in 2013 after being given nearly a £1 million cash boost – Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd has revealed.

 

Community Games, a programme designed to stimulate community-based sporting and cultural events in celebration of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, has today announced it has received funding from the Social Action Fund of £996,172.

 

Community Games, which are delivered by the YMCA and the County Sport Partnership Network, saw more than 1,600 events take place across the country in 2012, engaging more than one million people and a staggering 36,847 volunteers.

 

Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd said:

 

“Community Games bring people together who have been inspired by London 2012 so that they can play sport in their home town.

 

“We are giving them extra funding from our Social Action Fund so that this year even more local sporting opportunities can take place, giving a boost to community life.”

 

Lee Mason, Chief Executive of the County Sports Partnership Network (CSPN), said that he is delighted the CSPN and the YMCA are continuing to support the programme.

 

He said:

 

“I have been impressed by the way in which Community Games has engaged with communities across the country.

 

I have seen first hand the impact this has had in local communities and it has been a great way for people to engage in sport in a fun and interactive way.”

 

Independent research found that 50.6% of people that took part in Community Games in 2012 said the events had inspired them to take up sport, while 74.6% of participants reported taking part in a sporting activity at a Community Games event.

 

“We hope that many people across England will step forward and run Community Games in their local community this year,” added Mr Mason.

ENDS

 

For more information contact Donna Roddy: donna@Citydesksport.com

 

Community Games nets £1m