Lordsfield Swimming Club

Grants Keep Overton Swimming

LORDSFIELD Swimming Club, based in Overton, has been awarded £2,500 to develop their volunteer provision.

The award is part of an overall investment of £20,768 made into sports and physical activities across Hampshire this month with the awarding of grants from the Hampshire Playing Fields Fund.

The grants, which are between £500 and £2,500 were distributed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation and to support outdoor activity, outdoor spaces and games and sports.

Lordsfield Swimming Club offers outdoor swimming activities to local residents and coaching classes for children and is supported by a team of volunteer staff.

Tania Bridge, Trustee of Lordsfield Swimming Club said: “This grant will enable us to run a full programme of sessions in 2022 and train 60 volunteers to support the pool sessions. Utilising volunteers means we can keep our prices low and this enables local families to have equable access - increasing accessibility for all. Open air swimming is an excellent activity for fitness and wellbeing and we look forward to working with residents to keep the community swimming!”

Jacqui Scott, CEO at HIWCF added: “We are delighted to play our part in ensuring sports and organisations involved in sports across Hampshire get the support they need this year. Since the beginning of the Covid crisis, we have all come to appreciate the value of our outdoor spaces and local community recreation areas more than ever, particularly for improving our physical and mental wellbeing.

Additionally, sport and physical activity can be an important catalyst to ‘levelling the playing field’ for people of all backgrounds and engaging in sports has so much potential for transformation beyond the physical health improvements. We are particularly interested in ensuring that this funding benefits people who face disadvantage in their lives – for example people with disabilities of all natures, and those facing mental health issues and social isolation. The Hampshire Playing Fields Fund means we can provide organisations like Lordsfield Swimming Club with the means to achieve a better and more sustainable future at the same time as increasing participation by people from a wide range of backgrounds.”

Written by
Basingstoke Observer
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Written by Basingstoke Observer