A London charity creating sporting opportunities for disabled people has received a huge cash boost to save five of its Community Clubs from closure.

City Bridge Trust, the City of London Corporation’s charitable funder and the capital’s largest independent grant giver, awarded Disability Sports Coach (DSC), based in Southwark, £139,800 to keep the clubs running.

The money will mean five of the charity’s Community Clubs, which operate in leisure centres across Hackney, Hillingdon, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets and Islington, can keep supporting local residents to be active and healthy.

DSC provides award-winning sporting opportunities for disabled people in London. The charity delivers 11 multi-sport disability Community Clubs and a variety of sports training. Sports on offer, delivered by expert coaching staff, include boccia, sitting volleyball and goalball.

Since 2013 the DSC’s Community Club programme has supported over 650 disabled people to attend club sessions on a regular basis with over 10,000 disabled people being engaged through their outreach programme in total.

Alison Gowman, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s City Bridge Trust committee, said:

“It’s fantastic to know our funding will enable the charity to keep its clubs running, saving a vital service for disabled people across London.

“This charity has grown and grown since 2005, and is now supporting thousands of disabled people every year to get involved in sport and fitness. This grant will ensure these key services continue to run for years and give more disabled people the opportunity to get active and involved in sports locally.

“City Bridge Trust is committed to tackling disadvantage across the capital and making London a fairer and better place to live.”

Peter Ackred, Disability Sports Coach CEO added:

“We aim to continue the great work that our Community Clubs are providing in London’s communities.

“Disabled people are still half as likely to take part in sport compared to non-disabled people and this investment means that we are able to create more opportunities to close that gap.”

City Bridge Trust makes grants of £20 million a year to tackle disadvantage across the capital. The Trust has awarded around 7,700 grants totalling over £370 million since it first began in 1995. It helps achieve the Corporation’s aim of changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners

ENDS

Media Enquiries

Kristina Drake

Media Officer, City of London Corporation

Kristina.Drake@cityoflondon.gov.uk

020 7332 1123 / 07710860884