Northampton Saints Foundation has been awarded £2,500 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund to support core costs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The outbreak of the virus and the consequent shutdown of businesses as of March 23 has left the sport and physical activity sector facing a period of uncertainty.
In response, on March 31 Sport England announced a £195m package to help the sport and physical activity sector through COVID-19.
Within the package is a £20m Community Emergency Fund of National Lottery money to deliver immediate funding to those who have a role in supporting the nation to be active, but are experiencing short-term financial hardship or the ceasing of operations due to the impact of coronavirus.
The grant will allow Northampton Saints Foundation to continue providing support and physical activity for vulnerable students on the Engage programme who continue to attend the programme at Franklin’s Gardens.
“We are extremely thankful to Sport England for providing funding to help us through this difficult period, when our own community and matchday funding has been so severely hit,” said Sue Wright, Fundraising Manager at Saints Foundation.
“This money will really make a difference and help us to continue with our support for vulnerable young people up until the end of the academic year.”
Sue Wright, Foundation Fundraising Manager
Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s Chief Executive, added: “As the body responsible for the growth of sport and physical activity participation, we want the vital grassroots organisations that make sport and physical activity happen in this country to not just to come through this crisis, but to be in a position to thrive again in the future.
“The £20m Community Emergency fund, made possible by National Lottery players, is part of a multimillion pound package of support we are providing to ease the pressure on a huge number of the organisations who are central to the nation’s health and wellbeing.
“We are proud to be able to provide vital funding to Northampton Saints Foundation to help the charity through these extremely challenging times.”
