SASP is inviting community clubs across Somerset to engage in a pilot sustainability delivery programme. These free surveys (valued at £250-£2,500 per club) are supported by SASP, Somerset FA and the University of the West of England, in an aim to help clubs become as sustainable as possible.

A Sport England Case Study, ‘Sustainable Project 1’, has been delivered at Taunton Vale Sports Club (TVSC) as part of Sport England’s Second Round of the Improvement Fund. This project has demonstrated a direct correlation between a sustainably run club and increased participation resulting in an adequate sinking fund.

This pilot is an extension to the TVSC project, in which Harry Riste, then a member of the TVSC Board and Chairman of Taunton Vale Hockey Club, carried out a sustainable review in 2012 and inspired a small team, who raised capital funding, in line with the facilities at the club, to deliver the Sport England Case Study. The sustainable review has enabled the club, after covering operating costs, to set provisions aside in the form of sinking funds or reserve accounts for the future replacement of essential items. This has substantially limited the risk to the club committee and members. Please see below for links to the case studies.

As TVSC’s Sustainable Champion, Harry Riste is now heading up the Somerset pilot, through the vehicle of GrassRoots Power CIC, with funding from the European Green Fund, in collaboration with the University of the West of England, all of whom are working together to promote sustainable sport in Somerset.

This pilot is part of a bigger picture with the launch of GrassRoots Power CIC, a Community Interest Company (CIC) that has been formed specifically to focus on sustainability and support for grass roots sport. The core of the CIC is to reduce costs and to support existing committees and guardians of community sport, so that they can in turn make the most of the precious time available to them in coaching and tuition, support and encouragement of youngsters – the future of sport.   

How it works:

Clubs will be taken through an audit process:

1. Initial data capturing* and a site survey;
2. Survey outcome review and workshop with your club’s nominated Sustainable Champion;
3. Final report recommendations for Committee / Board sign off;
4. Fundraising;
5. Sustainable procurement and delivery;
6. Ongoing monitoring carried out by GrassRoots Power CIC as part of the pilot.

Please email your expression of interest to info@grassrootspower.club, confirming:”

• Name, address and contact details of applicant’s club
• Name, address and contact details (including email address) of nominated club contact
• Reason you feel that a sustainable survey would add value to your members (no more than 100 words).

We are inviting expressions of interest, for which the closing date will be Thursday 21^st April 2016. From these, 50 clubs will be selected and notified of their successful application by Thursday 28^th April 2016

 *Any personal information you provide GrassRoots Power CIC will be processed in accordance with the UK Data Protection Act 1998. The information will not be forwarded or disclosed to any third party other than Somerset Activity Partnership and Somerset FA and only used with regards to the Somerset pilot.