Community funding available to get Shropshire moving

Shropshire Council’s public health team are inviting residents, community groups and organisations across Shropshire to be part of the “Everybody Active” project. The project provides grants of between £500 and £5,000 for communities to provide new opportunities for those who are less active to increase their activity levels.

The offer follows a pilot carried out in the towns of Whitchurch, Wem, Broseley and Craven Arms, exploring how a ‘social movement’ approach can get everyone involved in helping their community to become more active.

The aim of the project is to help motivate communities to come up with ideas and sustainable projects to improve physical activity within their locality.

Karen Calder, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for health and well-being, and Chair of Shropshire’s Health and Well-being Board, added:

“The Everybody Active Every Day community fund project is a great opportunity to engage and motivate residents to help take responsibility and ownership of their health and well-being. I really do encourage communities across Shropshire to get involved.

“Lack of physical activity is now a national epidemic and poses serious health risks to our local communities. Without action, the burden on health and social care will destabilise services and reduce the quality of life for individuals, their families and communities.”

Physical inactivity can pose serious health risks to the individual, and is now one of the key health issues in the UK, responsible for one in six deaths and costing the country an estimated £7.4 billion a year. Those who aren’t active enough risk developing a series of conditions – depression, dementia, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer and more.

Projects must meet the following criteria:

• Be designed to get more people, more active, more often.
• Engage those who are less active, rather than focusing on the already active.
• Must benefit the local community, or targeted groups within the community.
• Projects should aim to help people make long-term, sustainable changes in their lifestyles.
• Does not cater just for the already active/sporty.

Project must fit one or more of the following key categories:

• Active ageing
• Pre-school children
• Active places
• Skills and knowledge
• Active community.

For more information on the key categories, general guidance and application documents, please visit the ‘Everybody Active’ section of the Healthy Shropshire website.

For inspiration and ideas for projects please click here.

The deadline for applications is Monday 16 January 2017.

Everybody Active Shropshire grant application is a competitive bidding process, and not all projects can be successful. Applications will be assessed by Shropshire Council’s Everybody Active Shropshire panel. Projects will be assessed against the Everybody Active Shropshire aims and objectives provided in the application pack.