Covid-19 has had a massive impact on everyone's activity levels across the county but in particular research from Sport England showed certain groups of people were being disproportionately affected by the corona virus pandemic and it was significantly impacting their ability to be physically active. They established the Tacking Inequalities Fund (TIF) As a result, team BEDS&LUTON quickly secured some of this funding from Sport England to help reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 within Luton, Bedford and Central Bedfordshire. By researching areas of the county most in need and by working with trusted partners, team BEDS&LUTON identified organisations and community groups that best meet the criteria set out by Sport England, and worked with them to work up their request for funding. The money specifically was for community organisations that deliver sport and physical activity to four priority audiences:

1. People on Low Incomes – we are prioritising the areas with the greatest economic and social need.
2. Disabled people or those with long term health conditions – organisations that work directly with these two audiences.
3. Organisations that work with Diverse Ethnic Communities

"By looking at the communities most in need first, rather than by club or organisation type we quickly identified that we needed to connect with organisations that sit well outside the traditional sport and physical activity sector, explained Graham Simpson, Relationship Manger at team BEDS&LUTON. The current situation had enabled us to have reasons to talk to these organisations and community groups and be able to explain about how sport and physical activity can make a real difference to people's lives in ways that they may not have thought of in the past and these new relationships go way beyond the initial investment given."

As of the beginning of November team BEDS&LUTON have now secured just over £66,000 for 27 different projects across Bedfordshire and Luton. With over half the money (£34,000) so far going to projects within Luton as the town is one of the 20% most in need districts in England and 20% of its population are from low income families.

Other stats from the funding approved to date (Nov 2020) include:

46% (£30k) to Diverse Ethnic Communities

22% (£14.5k) to Disabled groups

31% (£20k) to Lower income families

2% (£1k) to people with long term health conditions

How is the money going to be used?

Here is a snapshot so far of the types of community groups we are working with and the impact it will have on their work/individuals who use the services.

Here is a snapshot so far of the types of community groups we are working with and the impact it will have on their work/individuals who use the services.