VicHealth will grant more than $746,000 towards hundreds of sport and recreation clubs across Victoria for new equipment to encourage more people to get physically active, thanks to the latest round of Active Club Grants announced today.
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VicHealth will grant more than $746,000 towards hundreds of sport and recreation clubs across Victoria for new equipment to encourage more people to get physically active, thanks to the latest round of Active Club Grants announced today.
Clubs could apply for grants of up to $3,000 and for the first time, up to $10,000 and VicHealth received more than 500 applications across both categories in this round of funding.
VicHealth’s Active Club Grants contribute up to $1.5 million each year towards helping communities get more physically active. More than 8000 sporting clubs across Victoria have received Active Club Grants over the past 20 years and more than 1 million club members have been able to access safer and better equipped clubs.
VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter said this round of grants will support 262 clubs across the state to make a significant difference to the number of people participating in sport, and help Victorians get the recommended two-and-a-half hours per week of moderate physical activity. Clubs in more disadvantaged areas were a particular focus.
“These grants aim to increase or maintain participation in physical activity by funding essential equipment like bats, portable goals, uniforms and balls,” Ms Rechter said.
“Clubs that have high quality equipment and uniforms will help attract new members and retain existing ones.
“Sports and active recreation clubs are a terrific way to get involved in the community, meet new people and keep active for good health. Previous rounds have shown us that these grants encourage people to try new activities, support them to join their local club or continue playing their favourite sport.
“The grants are part of VicHealth’s drive to get 300,000 more Victorians taking part in physical activity by 2023.”
Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy, said VicHealth’s Active Club Grants program helped more Victorians become involved in local sporting clubs.
“These grants are fantastic because they encourage more sports and recreation activity, often reaching new audiences by adapting programs to suit changing needs, and providing the real sense of community that comes from being part of a local club,” Ms Hennessy said.
“Initiatives like Active Club Grants that help get people involved in physical activity are important to prevent obesity and chronic disease as well as promoting overall good health and wellbeing.”
The next round of VicHealth’s Active Club Grants funding opens on 1 February 2016.
For more information on VicHealth’s Active Club Grants, including a list of funded clubs, visit https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/activeclub
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Media Contact
Cimara Doutré, VicHealth Senior Media Advisor | Tel 03 9667 1319 | M 0435 761 732 | E [email protected]
