We can only dream, but there is no funding for grass routes netball in the UK, the extra funding would allow us to buy more equipment, employ coaches, travel to more venues and ultimately give more children the opportunity to play the game we love.
What Leeds Athletic Netball Club has achieved over the last few months is unbelievable – 14 teams back training and playing in COVID secure environments, girls doing what they love with friends. The physical and mental benefits to our children of what has been achieved by a group of volunteers is immeasurable.
The impact of Covid
We now need your help. This has all come at a cost. Not only do we want to keep everyone COVID secure, we want to continue and develop Leeds Athletic Club so it continues to be the best club in Yorkshire. We want to offer more and more girls the opportunity to play the sport we all love.
We need to raise money to pay for the sanitsers, bibs and equipment for each team. Just to COVID kit each team out and get going this season cost us £100. Equipment can no longer be shared between teams - we need duplicate bibs, balls, first aid kits and kit bags for each team. One set of bibs costs £45, times that by 14 and we are into big money. We also need to look at training our COVID officers to ensure we are ahead of the game and the girls stay safe.
Where is your money going?
There is a window of opportunity at the moment where Sport England, under their ‘Active Together’ Crowdfunding initiative, will consider matching up to 50% of our initial target. We are going to apply for it and want to try and take advantage of the potential match funding from Sport England.
The club is aiming to raise £4000 to purchase the equipment needed to keep the teams safe and running throughout the 2020/2021 season. If we manage to raise the £4000 we are hoping Sports England will match this with another £2000 which we will put into developing the club and providing more opportunities for the girls.
What do we need you to do?
All the rewards have been kindly provided by friends of the club. Please pledge as much as you can – there are some great things to be had…help us get to the £2000 target.
Thanks from over 140 girls at Leeds Athletic Netball Club… you are helping to make our dreams come true!