Merton Council has awarded 23 local organisations a share of £100,000 of the council’s grants to ensure they deliver sports and physical activities to residents from across the borough, as part of the council’s mission to be London’s Borough of Sport.
Some of the initiatives include: squash lessons in schools; exercise classes for older Muslim women; self-defence sessions for visually impaired children; community football for adults with disabilities; and specially designed sport sessions for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Becoming a Borough of Sport means creating and supporting new ways for every Merton resident, no matter their background, to embrace their chosen way of moving more. To achieve this, the council is collaborating with professional clubs, sporting bodies and community organisations, and working to put Merton on the map for sport.
Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah, Cabinet Member for Sport and Heritage, said:
“These grants are crucial for us to make our ambition to become London’s Borough of Sport a reality. Not only do they help our sport and leisure sector to thrive, but the funded projects will help ensure that everyone in Merton, no matter their background, ability or stage in life, can access sport or activity opportunities that suit them. I can’t wait to see the impact the funding will have on our communities over the coming months.”
The bidding and fund distribution process was managed by Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Merton’s largest social housing provider, Clarion Housing Group. Decisions on funding were made by Merton Council and the Borough of Sport Advisory Group.
Matt Parsonage, Head of Communities at Clarion Futures, said:
“We’re delighted to have teamed up with Merton Council to run this fantastic new grants programme which will provide so many opportunities for local residents.
“Over the summer and beyond, we look forward to seeing people taking inspiration from sporting events including the Olympics and making the most of these new projects to get active and improve their wellbeing.”
The funding was accessible to organisations large and small, with GLL/Bettter – which manages the council’s three leisure centres – able to bid for funds to adapt its swimming offer for residents living with dementia.
Full list of successful projects
Age UK Merton – Chair Based Exercise classes for older Muslim Women
- Weekly chair-based exercise class for women over 50, who are part of the Muslim community of the Bait Ul Futuh Mosque in Morden. This will aim to overcome barriers to participating in more mainstream physical exercise groups.
All Saints Community Garden – All Saints Community Garden 2024
- Nurture community health by establishing a community garden that serves as both a source of fresh, healthy produce and a communal space for inclusive, therapeutic gardening activities.
This work will target residents on low incomes, aspiring to alleviate food insecurity by offering access to free produce. Nurture community health by establishing a community garden that serves as both a source of fresh, healthy produce and a communal space for inclusive, therapeutic gardening activities.
- Combination Dance – NRICH Dance and Wellbeing ProgrammeCombination Dance will provide high-quality dance and wellbeing activities reaching 50 marginalised individuals in regular classes, including those over 65 years, adults with disabilities, and their carers. The project will also provide two full-day workshops for local children and a social community event to bring all ages together.
Community Cricket C.I.C. – Inclusive Cricket at Merton Day Centres
- Delivering fortnightly cricket sessions for vulnerable people with additional needs at All Saints and Jan Manilowski Day Centres. This will improve levels of physical activity, self-confidence, and teamwork. The day centres will be supplied with equipment and trained to allow the activities to be sustainable post-project.
Community Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services (CDARS) – CDARS Loves Cycling
- Love Cycling aims to encourage CDARS’ service users to cycle and to raise awareness about the positive impact of cycling on their physical and mental health. The project will work with people who are vulnerable due to having poor mental health and/ or other barriers to activity, such as a neurodiverse condition.
Ethnic Minority Centre Ltd – Wellbeing Fitness and Engagement
- Cycling and Pilates classes for older adults with a focus on education about the importance of being active.
Friends In St Helier – Exercise: Movement to Music
- The project aims to engage over 50’s who are isolated or have limited mobility by providing 90 free exercise classes at three safe venues. It aims to increase confidence, reduce trips and falls, and improve mobility
Frog Learning CIC – FROG Learning: expand and improve
- With a focus on expanding and improving gardening and outdoor learning opportunities for young adults with learning disabilities, the project will upskill Frog Learning CIC staff in therapeutic horticulture for learning disabilities and forge new connections with partner organisations.
GLL/ Better – Dementia Friendly Swimming Project
- A new dedicated swimming session for adults living with dementia in Merton. The session would be completely free for residents and will include a swimming teacher for extra support and signage to make the environment as accessible and Dementia Friendly as possible.
Harris Academy Morden / Merton School Sport Partnership – Extending Merton PE
Coach Academy
- Extending an existing Merton PE Coach Academy to reach more local people, especially those from underrepresented groups, including women and girls. This will enhance Merton’s coaching workforce and provide more opportunities for children to be active and enjoy sport and physical activity.
Jigsaw4u – Pump It Up
- Providing sports opportunities for inactive Merton children and young people (CYP) aged 4-16 with Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND). Qualified and professional coaches will offer adapted BMX, boxing, and dance sessions to engage SEND CYP, increase their activity levels, boost their self-esteem, and inspire long-term engagement in sports.
Merton Hockey Club – Merton Hockey Progressions
- A project to build on interest generated by the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris to get more people playing hockey, especially children. Starting with an Olympic-themed holiday camp in the summer, we will incentivize ongoing participation for people from Morden and Mitcham who do not currently regularly participate in sport.
Merton Schools Football Association – Merton Schools Borough Football
- Funding to increase provision in schools with a particular focus on targeting girls’ provision and removing barriers to access for those living in low socio-economic areas or households.
Merton Vision – Inclusive Self Defence classes for Visually Impaired children and adults
- The project seeks to empower vision-impaired individuals through tailored self-defence classes, targeting a diverse demographic: children (4-18), young adults (19-25) with learning difficulties, and adults (18+).
Mitcham Town Community Trust – SHINE Activator
- Sport-themed sessions across at least 30 Shine Saturday School for 50 disadvantaged pupils, aiming to increase participation in physical activities
Motspur Park Community Football Club (CIC) – Grassroots Adult Disability Football
- The first of its kind in the borough, this initiative is focused on offering adults (aged 18+) with disabilities, neurodivergences, and mental health challenges the chance to engage in sport through open football sessions and competitive matches. The project aims to enrich players’ social, psychological, and physical well-being within a supportive, inclusive, and stigma-free atmosphere.
NEMCA – Equipment for new over-65s sessions
- Provision of lighter weight mats and other equipment to allow for a new over-65’s exercise class to take place at the centre.
Nippon Club London – Judo Uplift: From Screens to Self-Defence
- Empowering teenagers in difficult family situations with self-defence training. Through judo, this project fosters confidence and resilience, offering a supportive environment for physical and mental well-being. Experienced instructors and mentors guide participants toward a brighter future.
South Mitcham Community Association – Fit for Fun
- The Fit for Fun club will support local children to engage in fun, safe, stimulating play, games, and coached sporting activities that generate an interest in health and promote positive development and well-being. Delivering three new weekly term time sports/play sessions for children aged 6-11.
Squash Squared – Expanding the school sports curriculum
- Project to introduce weekly squash coaching with cardiovascular exercise to the sporting curriculums of up to 12 of Merton’s primary schools, with priority given to those schools in the 30% most deprived wards. The project also offers pupils a cost-free pathway to participate in squash outside of school.
The Good Gym – Launching GoodGym Merton
- Establishing GoodGym in Merton and helping local people to get fit while doing good. The group will be available to all adults over 18 and will see members participate in free weekly group fitness sessions and missions helping local older people.
Togetherness Community Centre – ‘On the Move Club’
- Setting up a new 65+ elders group of varying exercise and strengthening activities – walks, singing, and dancing with a light lunch. The physical activities will vary alongside the singing classes to make use of outdoors.
Wimbledon & District Woodcraft Folk (Colliers Wood Section) – Rollerblading and Skating For Kids
Running weekly sessions and coaching for rollerblading and skating targeting children aged 6 to 16 years, who are not currently engaged in physical activiti
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