19 local organisations have been awarded a share of more than £100,000, thanks to Merton Council’s dedicated fund focused on providing free and low-cost physical activities to residents.
The money is from the council’s Borough of Sport Grant Fund, a key part of its mission to become London’s first Borough of Sport: a place where everyone – regardless of their age, background or ability – can enjoy accessible, inclusive and high-quality sports and physical activity.
The funding aims to remove barriers to participation – particularly for under-16s, women and girls, older adults, and minoritised ethnicities – by funding initiatives targeted at these often underserved groups. Administered in partnership with Clarion Futures, this year’s grants will support a mix of new projects and grow existing initiatives, including:
- A youth fishing club helping young people with social and mental health needs build skills and confidence.
- A weekly three-wheel cycling group for residents aged 65 and over to connect and be active
- Hockey sessions for women and girls of all abilities, with childcare to support mums returning to sport and boost participation for young girls.
- A swimming project offering tailored lessons for young people with physical or sensory disabilities.
Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah, Cabinet Member for Sport and Heritage says:
This funding unlocks opportunities across Merton. As well as creating and expanding innovative free or low-cost ways for residents to get active, it also gives organisations the chance to grow their offer and skills: helping strengthen our thriving sports sector.
Each of these 19 organisations play a crucial part in our journey to become London’s first ever Borough of Sport, we’re proud to add them to our growing programme of council funded sporting initiatives.
Grants of up to £7,000 were available to enable local clubs and organisations to deliver more ambitious or wide-reaching projects this year. Some organisations funded in the previous round will also receive additional funding to grow their activities and reach even more people in Merton.
Chris Walker, Club Captain of Merton Hockey Club, says:
We’re delighted to get funding from the council to enable us to offer more affordable and accessible hockey sessions for women and girls in Merton. We’ve had lots of interest from returners and beginners, and we can now take advantage of the new hockey facilities in Morden.
The bidding and fund distribution process was managed by the council’s partner Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Merton’s largest social housing provider: Clarion Housing Group. Decisions on funding were made by Merton Council and some representatives from the Borough of Sport Advisory Group.
Phil Miles, Director of Clarion Futures, said:
Providing opportunities for people to get active can boost physical and mental wellbeing, so we’re delighted to be supporting Merton’s Borough of Sport Grant Fund. This funding will make a huge difference to people living in the borough, supporting both new projects and existing initiatives and removing barriers to participation.
See the full list of successful applicants
Merton School Sports Partnership: providing more local, young women aged 16 to 25 as well as those from marginalised groups or low-income households with bursaries to help them become qualified coaches.
Attic Theatre Company: extending their dance and movement workshops helping older residents living with Dementia to socialise and be active to prevent further physical or cognitive decline. This will also support their carers through the holidays and beyond to provide consistency of provision.
Merton Empowerment CIC: piloting a volunteer-led organised social three-wheel bike ride called ‘Mitcham Trike Club’ for inactive people over 65 to join weekly group cycling sessions in a local park. It aims to help improve physical health and wellbeing.
Sean McInnes Sports Coaching in the Community: building on their successful girls’ basketball initiative, they will launch a community-wide girls football programme focused on girls aged five to 16 offering free, regular access to sessions, equipment and competitive tournaments.
Age UK Merton: weekly chair-based exercise class for women in Merton aged 50+ from marginalised backgrounds or communities.
Friends In St Helier: ‘Movement to Music’ will continue to provide free exercise classes across three venues, aiming to reduce social isolation, increase confidence and improve mobility for inactive people over 50 who are socially isolated.
Jigsaw4u: ‘Pump it Up’ will provide sports opportunities for inactive children and young people aged four to 16 with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). Delivered by qualified coaches, it will offer adapted BMX biking, boxing and dance sessions to increase their activity levels, boost self-esteem and inspire long-term engagement in sports.
Merton Schools Football Association: ‘Welcome to Football’ will aim to encourage girls aged eight to 12 to try football for free – working collaboratively to target girls who are new or at a beginner-level that live or go to school in the East of Merton.
Merton Hockey Club: providing targeted hockey sessions for women and girls, with the aim of offering childcare to support mums returning to sport and boost participation for young girls aged five to 18.
Ethnic Minority Centre Ltd: ‘First Steps to Fitness’ project will aim to engage local women through 20 two-hour cycling sessions and 20 one-hour swimming sessions to improve their mental health, fitness and boost confidence.
Mitcham Town Community Trust: ‘First Steps Dance Club’ will provide free, weekly dance sessions for nine to 16 year olds, offering young people in the local area the opportunity to participate in physical exercise and perform together at local events – with additional support available for those with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Combination Dance: developing a new and growing existing dance and wellbeing activities reaching 50 marginalised individuals through regular classes for those over 65 and adult women who face barriers. There’ll also be two-day workshops for children aged seven to ten and one community event to bring all ages together.
Community Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services: continuing their cycling project encouraging people who are neurodivergent or have mental health issues to learn to cycle or improve their skills.
Wimbledon Guild of Social Welfare (Incorporated): funding will support the current 627 participants across their physical activity programmes adapted to help older people maintain their fitness and create capacity for the 40+ people on their waiting lists.
Community Cricket CIC: delivering fortnightly cricket sessions for vulnerable people with additional needs at Leyton Road Day Centre for a year. This will improve levels of physical activity, self-confidence and teamwork. Additionally, they will deliver similar sessions to benefit the clients of Merton Mencap across their various programmes.
Morden Hall Park – National Trust: expanding and enhancing the Youth Fishing Club at Morden Hall Park in particular, the inclusion of a qualified youth worker at the fishing sessions, to support young people with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs. The project will aim to engage young people, particularly from the Phipps Bridge area.
NEMCA Community Centre and Youth Club: setting up a new community group for women and children, specifically targeting women in single parent families who can’t exercise as they lack access to childcare. They also aim to target the children in and around the community who have SEN or SEND.
SouthWestRuns: ‘SWR Girls’ will deliver weekly girls-only basketball sessions in Pollards Hill, helping create a safe, inclusive space to boost confidence, fitness, and teamwork. The project will provide structured, inclusive opportunities for young girls to stay active, form a community and play competitively.
Level Water: expanding their ‘Learn to Swim’ project, enabling six local children aged four to 11 with physical and/or sensory disabilities to access tailored, one-to-one swimming lessons a week. This will run for 48 weeks at Canons Leisure Centre and Morden Leisure Centre.