24/11/2004

School sports to benefit from lotto handouts

Up to 45 new projects will receive funding from the Big Lottery Fund's £750 million New Opportunities for PE and Sport Programme, it has been announced today.

Today's £15.3 million cash slew sees schools in the North East leading the way, with four projects sharing a pot of £2,831,782.

With a grant of £1,700,000 Kenton School in Newcastle will acquire a new six-court sports complex with a gymnasium, dance studio, fitness suite and additional teaching spaces, which will benefit the school's 1,987 pupils as well as nearby schools and 25,000 wider community visitors a year.

Neil Walker, Deputy Headteacher at Kenton School said: "The pupils, staff and local community will at long last have the opportunity to access the state of the art facilities they deserve and with the current emphasis on developing healthy lifestyles I am sure that this grant will help to increase the number of participants in a whole range of sports and activities for years to come."

Ten projects in the West Midlands, and a number in the south east, will also benefit from today's announcement. This takes the total number of projects funded in England so far to more than 1050.

Sports Minister Richard Caborn said: "Every one of these grants, whether large or small, has an important part to play in driving up participation in sports and activity, to help achieve both a fitter nation and world class success. This lottery funding will make a big difference in all these communities."

Sir Clive Booth, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund said funding such schemes would have a "major impact" on tackling disadvantage and bringing positive changes to people of all ages across England.

(gmcg/sp)

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