Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, people are getting active through various sports and wellbeing activities, thanks to a £28,000 investment from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation’s (HIWCF) Hampshire Playing Fields Fund.

Grants of between £500 and £2500 have been awarded to community organisations in the region by HIWCF.  HIWCF work with business, philanthropists, and other bodies to match their philanthropic and charitable aims with the amazing work done by local charities, community groups, and other non-profits.

The Hampshire Playing Fields Fund aims to support, promote, and engage communities with games, sports, and physical activity particularly when those activities are targeted to people who find participation in physical activity can be difficult. From walking and yoga to boxing, football, and yachting, this year’s funding is supporting people from a range of ages and backgrounds, with 12 projects spread across the county.

Rushmoor Healthy Living supports disadvantaged people in North East Hampshire and has been awarded £2,500 of funding to deliver a Nordic walking project, which will offer weekly short walks in the local area, designed for older adults and those with health conditions. Nordic Walking uses specially designed poles – not to be confused with trekking poles – to enhance the natural walking experience. RHL’s walks will support and encourage people to visit the green areas on their doorsteps that they may otherwise not know about or that they may otherwise not access.

 Jim Ruddy, CEO of RHL, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to have received this grant and are really excited about being able to add something a little different to our weekly exercise class schedule whilst helping people access green areas on their doorstep that they might not otherwise realise are there. Nordic walking provides so many benefits, and can be very effective for people with mobility issues or those recovering from illness or injury.”

Winchester Street Reach works with young people, particularly those experiencing disadvantage, through youth work and community outreach, and a regular youth club in Micheldever. With the £2,150 they have been awarded, Street Reach is running football drop-in sessions for young people, held at a local school every Friday evening, and the grant is helping with pitch fees and running costs of the project.

Stella Bowling, Project Administrator and Fundraiser, Winchester Street Reach, said:

“We are extremely grateful for the funding towards our drop-in Friday football project which is all-inclusive for both girls and boys to turn up and play, without needing any special team kit or equipment. It helps young people from low-income households access a sporting opportunity at a low cost and it has a ‘youth club’ vibe. It enables young people to take part in a physical activity which has a positive effect on their mental health and well-being and reduces feelings of isolation.”

TeamSolent Sharks is the only Wheelchair Rugby Club in Hampshire, offering training and competitions for anyone aged 12 and above who is physically disabled. They enter teams into Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby’s Premiership, League 1 & League 2 (in the Paralympic discipline) as well as the new Wheelchair Rugby 5s (for those who are a little less disabled).

Vincent Barton from Team Solent Sharks Wheelchair Rugby Club, said:

“Whether you have a missing foot or have cerebral palsy you will be welcomed by the Sharks. You can of course just come along to training just for the fun and keep fit. We are very grateful to the HIWCF Hampshire Playing Fields fund for making these sessions possible.”

SparkCommunity Space is a Portsmouth-based charity, working to offer those who have been left out or left behind, a place to belong and feel part of a community. Supporting those who may have experienced disadvantage through long-term illness, redundancy, or lack of skills or qualifications, the charity has used its £2,500 funding to run physical activity classes such as yoga, mindfulness, armchair movement, and funky fitness. The classes are run on a ‘pay what you can afford’ basis, to ensure they’re accessible to anyone in the community who wants to improve their health and wellbeing.

Rebecca Simmons, from Spark Community Space, said:

“This funding means we can help people move, feel great, and put a spark back into their lives. It is simply fantastic to have the support of the HIWCF, thank you.”

Jacqui Scott, CEO of HIWCF said:

“I am constantly impressed and humbled by the incredible work undertaken in our local communities by passionate and motivated people who are helping our communities to flourish. This raft of grants shows the fabulous diversity of the work going on in all the corners of our region; reaching an equally fabulous diversity of people.  Funding work that gives people the chance to take part in group physical activity has so many benefits in mental and physical wellbeing, and creates a stronger community. Our thanks go to the great volunteers and staff of the community groups we are funding for the wonderful work they do and of course, to the funders and donors who enable us to provide these grants through our endowment funding – which means this type of funding is there for our communities, forever.”

To find out more about HIWCF and request information on how to support communities in Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, visit www.hiwcf.org.uk