Grassroots sports clubs in Cumbria awarded share of £20,000

A total of 20 organisations will benefit from the Fibrus' Play It Forward Fund.

Carlisle Hockey Club is one of these, and will use their £1,000 grant to create a membership package that includes a junior hockey stick and an emoji ball to encourage young players.

The fund was set up by Fibrus to support the communities it works with and help more young people enjoy a range of sports.

Linda McMillan, chief people officer at Fibrus, said: "We are committed to playing a role in improving the health and wellbeing of children and young people, so investing in local communities is important to us.

"Our Play It Forward Fund is just one way we do this.

"We had a fantastic response to the fund this summer and we are excited to see how our funding drives the 53 clubs we’re supporting in Northern Ireland and Cumbria this year.

"Sports and clubs are at the heart of the communities where we operate, and we want to support these communities as widely as we can."

One of the aims of the Play It Forward Fund is to encourage children to switch off their devices to get active and have fun.

The fund aims to help children get active (Image: Supplied)

Leah Shearer, a volunteer at the hockey club, said: "This grant is a fantastic opportunity for us to grow our junior section and continue nurturing young talent.

"By offering equipment and resources that make joining the club more affordable and fun, we aim to inspire more children to take up hockey and stay engaged.

"It’s about creating opportunities for young players to develop their skills and enjoy the sport in a supportive environment."

Many of Carlisle Hockey Club’s teams feature in regional leagues, and the club takes particular pride in encouraging and developing junior members with a programme of structured training.

Their Fibrus grant will directly benefit children in the Carlisle area by offering better value-for-money membership packages and making it easier to participate, with equipment provided.

The club says this will lower the costs of playing hockey, encourage more practice, and 'foster a stronger sense of identity'.

This year, 65 clubs applied and 20 were awarded grants, with priority given to those with smaller incomes that have not previously received Fibrus’ support.

Also benefitting from the fund is Carlisle-based Meerkats Netball Club, who will use the grant to buy a new set of netballs.

Other clubs to benefit from Fibrus’ fund included Abbeytown Juniors FC, Dalston Mitsuru Karate and Warwick Wanderers FC.