Grays Athletic Community Football Club is very pleased to announce that we have been awarded £10,000 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund to help cover some of our running costs and the loss of revenue during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.
The outbreak of the virus and the consequent shutdown of businesses as of 23 March has left the sport and physical activity sector facing a period of uncertainty.
In response, Sport England announced a £210m package to help the sport and physical activity sector through covid-19. Within the package is a £35m Community Emergency Fund, of National Lottery money to deliver immediate funding to those who have a role in supporting the nation to be active, but are experiencing short-term financial hardship or the ceasing of operations due to the impact of coronavirus.
The grant will help Grays Athletic cover some of its running costs and the loss or revenue suffered since March 2020.

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s Chief Executive, said:
“As the body responsible for the growth of sport and physical activity participation, we want the vital grassroots organisations that make sport and physical activity happen in this country to not just to come through this crisis but to be in a position to thrive again in the future. The £35m Community Emergency fund, made possible by National Lottery players is part of a multimillion pound package of support we are providing to ease the pressure on a huge number of the organisations who are central to the nation’s health and wellbeing.
“We are proud to be able to provide vital funding to Grays Athletic Community Football Club to help it through these extremely challenging times.”

***ENDS**

Notes to Editors
For more details please contact Glyn Jarvis, Vice Chairman of Grays Athletic Community Football Club
The club is the major provider of football in Thurrock and currently has 30 teams with ages ranging from five years of age to our “Walking footballers” aged fifty-five to over seventy years of age.

About the Sport England Community Emergency Fund
Part of Sport England’s overall £195m support package to help the sport and physical activity sector through COVID-19, the £35m Community Emergency Fund aims to deliver immediate funding to those most in need. It's specifically targeted at organisations, including those not currently supported by us, who have a role in supporting the nation to be active but who are experiencing short term financial hardship or the ceasing of operations due to the ongoing crisis.
This £35 million fund of National Lottery money is designed to complement other sources of funding from the government, such as funds targeted at small businesses. Further information on the Community Emergency Fund – including seeing if your organisation is eligible and the application process - can be found via https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/our-funds/community-emergency-fund.
About National Lottery
National Lottery players raise £30m every week for good causes, funding arts, heritage, sports, voluntary and charity projects around the UK. For more information on good causes in your area go to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
About Sport England
Sport England is a public body and invests up to £300 million National Lottery and government money each year in projects and programmes that help people get active and play sport.
It wants everyone in England, regardless of age, background, or level of ability, to feel able to engage in sport and physical activity. That’s why a lot of its work is specifically focused on helping people who do no, or very little, physical activity and groups who are typically less active - like women, disabled people and people on lower incomes.
www.sportengland.org