Sports clubs get active through grants

SPORTS clubs from the Geelong region are among more than 130 groups to share in more than $370,000 to make getting active even easier though VicHealth’s Active Club Grants.

Building on momentum generated by the health promotion foundation’s successful This Girl Can – Victoria campaign, the new funding will help local sport clubs across Victoria deliver more opportunities for women and girls to get active.

Local recipients include Armstrong United, Badminton Geelong, Geelong Rangers Soccer Club, Geelong Soccer and Sports Club and the Point Lonsdale Tennis Club.

The grants will also provide more social, flexible and accessible sport programs as well as more opportunities for people from disadvantaged communities to take part in sport.

VicHealth has also funded some less common activities to encourage Victorians to get moving, such as a multicultural fencing class, a rollerskating program and a calisthenics team for mums and grandmas.

VicHealth will be supporting many local football, cricket, soccer, and netball teams to capitalise on the huge demand from Victorian women and girls who want to get active and play sport.

VicHealth chief executive officer Jerril Rechter said the grants were about making sport more accessible to everyone.

“We want to support Victoria’s grassroots sport clubs to provide a wider range of opportunities for everyone to get involved in, including people who wouldn’t normally have the chance to play sport.

“We want to give more people an opportunity to get moving in a fun and social environment which is why we’re funding more clubs to deliver social sport alongside their competitive teams.”

Minister for Health Jill Hennessy said the Active Club Grants program would help more Victorians become healthier and more physically active.

“We want to make sure that all Victorians – no matter your age, gender or ability have a chance to get active and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

“This funding will support our hardworking grassroots clubs get more people moving and involved in new, fun and social ways of playing sport.”

For more information on VicHealth’s Active Club Grants, head to vichealth.vic.gov.au/ activeclub.