Protecting Playing Fields Improving Lives
In a Q&A session, Alex Welsh, Chief Executive of the London Playing Fields Foundation discusses the Olympic legacy and suggests that professional sportsmen and women have a duty to support grassroots facilities
Funding Grassroots
Q: What advice do you have for community sports clubs struggling to survive in the present climate?
A: Do not fear change, embrace it. Be more business orientated and use the professional expertise that exists within the club. Consider joint ventures and amalgamations with other organisations, if appropriate. Develop good working relationships with schools, local authorities and national governing bodies of sport. Garner political support and raise awareness of your contribution to the local community.
Q: What are your top tips for attracting funding?
A: Lead with the need. Have a clear vision and realistic objectives. Look beyond the obvious and identify multiple outcomes that might attract funders from outside the sector. Do your homework and understand where your project fits in to the bigger picture. Source professional advice and do not expect something for nothing. And, most importantly, don't give up, because perseverance pays.
Q: How important are groundsmen to the livelihood of grassroots sport and why?
A: On-site groundstaff are extremely important, as the pitch quality is crucial to maintaining your customer base and
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sets you apart from the competition. Fine turf surfaces, such as bowling greens and golf courses, require time, commitment and TLC.
LPFF groundstaff are the public’s first point of contact, and it is critical that they develop a rapport with our users and partners, are adaptable and buy into the philosophy of intensive use.
National governing bodies, Pitchcare and the associations can also provide help and advice on maintaining pitches.
Q: Do you believe that the amount of money being made available under the 2012 legacy is sufficient? If not, how much should be being made available?
A:The vast majority of public money available has gone into staging the Games and only very small amounts have been allocated to the grassroots legacy. In London this amounts to £15m compared to £3.9bn initially allocated for the Olympic Park and its infrastructure.
Ironically, at a time when the 2012 Games has shone the spotlight on sport, at grassroots level we have been enduring a perfect funding storm created by the following:
- Massive cuts in local authority spending
- A huge drop in Lottery funding for
grassroots sport from £423m in 1995 to £213m in 2009
- 33% drop in philanthropic giving
- A halving of the Football Foundation budget
- Dismantling of the Schools Sorts Partnership network
Sport England has recently launched its Places People Play £135m programme, but you could argue that this should have been introduced much earlier to have the desired effect.
Q: Do you think that there is a strong and clear enough strategy for the continuing development of grassroots sport, post 2012? What is your solution for creating a more sustainable future for grassroots sport?
A: Sport England is currently working up a new strategy for grassroots sport, and the FA is in the middle of a national consultation exercise on player pathways that will inform its approach to shaping the future of the game.
Many of us in grassroots sport are looking forward to the post 2012 funding landscape, where there should be more money available. As the money for good causes is realigned, with the proportion for sport going up from 16% to 20% and funds that were hitherto allocated to
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