Sport England has announced £436,732 of new funding for Solihull Council as part of its wider investment into the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The aim of the funding is to tackle inactivity in local communities and engage underrepresented groups, such as people on lower incomes and disabled people – a core part of Sport England’s 10-year strategy, Uniting the Movement.
The National Lottery-funded investment has been awarded to Solihull Council as part of a £3m Commonwealth Active Communities Fund. Solihull Council will use the funding for projects in Solihull which support mental health by being active under the banner – ‘Being well=being on the move’.
The funding announcement for Solihull comes as Sport England’s latest Active Lives Survey found inactivity levels in the West Midlands have worsened since the start of the pandemic, with over 100,000 more inactive adults and nearly 70,000 fewer active adults.
Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of Sport England, said:
“The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is a massive moment for the nation next year and an exciting chance to bring people together through sport and activity. The challenge is turning this into a legacy that has lasting impact and helps people to connect and stay active. Legacy is dependent on the creation of long-term local opportunities for people – at the right location and at the right cost.
“That is why the Commonwealth Active Communities Fund is so important. It’s building the foundations to create change that lasts in the West Midlands – bringing communities together and getting people active in a long-term, sustainable way well beyond the 2022 Commonwealth Games.”
Cllr Karen Grinsell, Deputy Leader for Solihull Council, said:
“We often talk about the way major sports events like the Commonwealth Games can inspire our sports men and women of the future. I firmly believe that being more active can help us all with our physical and mental health. The Commonwealth Active Communities Fund money that we have received will support a number of programmes and projects in the borough that will use the inspiration of next year’s Commonwealth Games to encourage inactive people and those with poorer mental health to be more active.”
Commonwealth Games Minister Nigel Huddleston said:
“The Commonwealth Active Communities Fund will help improve access to sport for people across the West Midlands, regardless of their ability or their background. Birmingham 2022 will not only be a celebration of world-class athletes from across the Commonwealth. As these programmes show, they are also a golden opportunity to champion our local communities and give people the spaces and facilities they need to keep active.”
Nicola Turner MBE, Director of Legacy at Birmingham 2022, said:
“Birmingham 2022 is a wonderful opportunity to bring people back together after a hard couple of years. The excitement is really building now, and preparations are well underway. The Games is just the start, we hope thousands of people and businesses in the region will enjoy long-lasting benefits. If Birmingham 2022 can inspire people to connect with each other, feel less lonely and lead a more active lifestyle, then we think that’s a valuable legacy from the Games. We are excited to be working with Sport England and supporting our communities across the region to become more active. Through these projects we will see people from all corners of the West Midlands being invited to join in.”
