Local MP Lewis Atkinson praises vital Flutter Cash4Clubs funding for Sunderland charity

Veterans in Crisis will use the cash to continue funding a leisure centre for up to 200 veterans and elderly people from the North East to enjoy sports like football and boxing or to take part in weightlifting or yoga sessions.

Organisers say that they wouldn’t be able to keep offering the free service – which includes food and drinks – without Flutter’s vital funding.

Lewis Atkinson, the MP for Sunderland Central, the constituency in which Veteran in Crisis is based, welcomed the funding:

“Veterans in Crisis is a Sunderland community institution. Ger Fowler and his team do incredible work with local people, keeping them fit, and improving their mental health. This funding means this work can continue and expand. I can only recommend that more local clubs follow the lead and apply to Cash4Clubs so more people in our community can benefit.”

Flutter UKI funds Cash4Clubs and has selected 200 winners from across the UK and Ireland as recipients of £2,000 worth of funding each to help drive participation in sports and wellbeing, improve facilities and run coaching programmes.

Since the Cash4Clubs initiative was launched in 2008, nearly £6.5 million has been invested into community sports by Flutter UKI through its brands, which include Betfair, Paddy Power, Sky Betting & Gaming, PokerStars and tombola.

Ger Fowler, CEO and founder of Veterans in Crisis, Sunderland, said: “If it wasn't for funding, we couldn't do what we do, as we do every single thing for free. It’s vital.

“We hire a leisure centre from one to three every Friday, and anyone from the community, not only veterans, but anyone from Sunderland can go along, do yoga, boxing, weightlifting – we have use of a multi-sized gym - or play football.

“Getting people out of the house and getting them active and meeting other people; that's the main priority, and this money will fund that for the next year. It's absolutely brilliant for the people of Sunderland.”

Ger, who himself suffered PTSD while serving with the 1st Battalion Light Infantry, told how the club which uses The Veterans In Crisis Sports and Recreation Centre (SARC) in Sunderland for sessions said the group and exercise helps improve people’s mental health.

Every Tuesday, the charity runs coffee mornings in the Gunners Club in Mary Street, Sunderland from 10am to 1pm.

On a Friday, they hire the SARC from 1pm to 3pm where people can play whatever sports they want.

Ger, who set the group up in 2018 with his own money, added: “On a Tuesday, everything's free; tea and coffee, we get free Greggs food, the attendees play dominoes, they have a quiz, they play bingo. It is really just to get together to tackle social isolation.

“If people don’t feel like they can get involved in the sport, they can get involved in pool, darts, dominoes or just sit down, meet people and relax.

“I think the importance of clubs like this is paramount to people who have mental health issues. We hear that social isolation is just as bad as drinking and smoking for your health and I say the more that we are able to get together with other people, the more we can help each other. This club helps people to live better, more complete lives.”

The funding will go towards the charity’s contact and non-contact sports programmes which offer invaluable physical therapy and a platform for socialising to injured servicemen and women.

Welcoming the funding, Kevin Harrington, Chief Executive of Flutter UKI, said: “The Cash4Clubs initiative is a key part of our group’s global commitment to improve the lives of 10 million people in the communities where we operate by 2030 as part of our Positive Impact Plan. Community clubs are the bedrock of sport in the UK and Ireland, and we are committed to doing everything we can to help these smaller organisations continue to make a big difference to people’s lives.

“Last year we doubled our funding from £200,000 to £400,000 after receiving so many applications. The number of clubs needing financial assistance continues to grow, which indicates the real value these grants have for local grassroots organisations, many of which are existing on a shoestring.”

Sported’s head of marketing Mark Woods said: "More than 700 clubs from across the UK and Ireland, spanning a massive variety of sports, submitted applications for the scheme and our priority was to support recipients delivering real impacts into their communities. So many of these groups are addressing barriers to participation to ensure that no-one is excluded from sport and physical activity due to financial, societal or physical challenges.

“But we know every penny is precious in what they do. The funds provided through Cash4Clubs underline the huge impact which even a modest grant can have on these organisations, and it will make a difference to the people they serve."

Applications for next year’s round of grant funding will open later this year. For more information please visit https://cash-4-clubs.com/.