Communities in England and Wales to benefit from over £600,000-worth of funding from Sky Bet… with financial support to arrive at projects linked to several EFL clubs

Communities across England and Wales are set to benefit from more than £600,000 worth of funding thanks to Sky Bet.

Financial support will arrive at projects linked to more than 60 EFL clubs including the likes of Sunderland and Colchester through the first set of grants awarded by the new Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund.

Various programmes ranging from those made to tackle isolation and loneliness to improving fitness and mental health will benefit following Sky Bet’s commitment to investing £6million over six years.

At the start of the funding in 2023-24, each EFL Club Community Organisation was given £10,000 to invest in ongoing programmes and develop community initiatives and the first set of grants have now been awarded, with presenter and Sky Bet ambassador Jeff Stelling assessing the bids for funding.

The likes of Leeds United, who will put more money into their ‘Social Goals’ programme to tackle isolation among over 50s, Morecambe, who will purchase equipment to run health and fitness sessions for local communities and Sunderland, who will continue their ‘Wear Together’ project aimed at increasing levels of activity for the over 55s have all benefitted from the funding announced on Friday.

A number of projects linked to EFL clubs will receive funding to help with their commitments

Projects range from tackling loneliness to putting on free football session in the community

Wycombe Wonderers and Crewe Alexandra have also benefitted to finance a coaching course and increase weekly football sessions at the club for East European migrants and Africa asylum seekers respectively.

Colchester, meanwhile, run free-to-access weekly pan-disability football sessions for adults, with more than half of the EFL clubs benefitting from funding.

At the launch of the fund in November, former England forward Emile Heskey joined EFL chair Rick Parry to highlight to success of walking football in Barnsley, while Blackburn Rovers were the first to receive their £10,000. 

Debbie Cook, EFL Director of Community, said: ‘The funding provided from Sky Bet not only enhances the outstanding work already undertaken by our clubs in the community, but creates a legacy that will last for years to come.

‘This commitment from Sky Bet shines a light on the breadth and depth of the work football is involved in across all of our communities and tells the powerful stories of the local community members who benefit from these initiatives and programmes.’

Sky Bet have committed to providing funding of £6million over a six-year period in initiative

Dan Colton, Managing Director of Sky Bet, said: ‘You only have to see the success of the programmes like “Remember the Rovers” in Blackburn to realise the impact the Building Foundations Fund has and will continue to have over the coming years.

‘We’re incredibly proud of the Building Foundations Fund and our work with the clubs across the EFL to breathe new life into the community projects they run.’