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Budding sports volunteers will soon get more opportunities to roll up their sleeves and get involved in the sports they love - thanks to £93,000 of new Exchequer funding from Sport England.

Sport England is investing the funding in Volunteering England, our national partner for driving up volunteering in sport. The funding will be:

• Invested in Volunteer Centres[1][1] in every region to help them work more closely with local sports clubs
• Used to develop more opportunities for people to volunteer and match the right people to the right roles
• Used to promote sports volunteering opportunities locally. 

It also provides a further boost for sports volunteering following the publication of the latest government citizenship figures which reveal that people who volunteer choose to give their time to sport more than any other activity. Findings from the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Citizenship Survey show that 53% of the adults volunteering formally do so in sport.

Richard Lewis, Sport England's Chair, said:
"Community sport needs its volunteers. Without them, it could not thrive as an environment where everyone gets to experience the thrill of playing sport. We know that the quality of volunteers, and the skills they bring, has a significant impact on participants and the likelihood of them continuing their sporting involvement in the future. I cannot give enough praise, and thanks, to the millions of people who dedicate their time to grassroots sport and helping others to enjoy it."

Volunteering England has welcomed the funding and the chance to help even more people to volunteer.

Justin Davis Smith, Volunteering England’s Chief Executive, said:
"I am delighted that in Volunteering England we are helping make the links between local Volunteer Centres and sports clubs in their communities. Mostly people get to volunteer through their friendships and networks where they live. Volunteer Centres are really important in creating the conditions locally which will help sports clubs involve more volunteers.”

Leanne Dooley, from Bury, was named Greater Manchester’s Volunteer of the Year after she dedicated over 15 years to volunteering with adults and young people. Despite working full time, Leanne was instrumental in setting up a ‘back to netball’ programme giving women in Bury the opportunity to take up sport again. Two girls have come through the weekly sessions and were selected for the England Netball talent squad.

Leanne said:
“I absolutely love community sport. You get so much out of being a volunteer, you are part of a massive team of people who really care about what they do, and it is that shared passion and dedication that really keeps you going. Seeing girls join the club, learn the sport, be part of a team and in some cases go on to compete at England level is really rewarding, and the joy of seeing people grow beyond what they thought they could ever achieve is priceless.”

Minister for Sport and the Olympics Hugh Robertson said:
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of grassroots sport and deserve huge recognition for the difference they make on the ground every day. Sport England’s support will help the millions of volunteers who already give their time and I hope it will inspire many more to do so.”

Source: Volunteering England