Today the world will become football fanatic as Russia and Saudi Arabia kick off the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The passion, interest and loyalty surrounding the game that we will see on a global scale over the next month is evident in our local communities all year round.

County Durham alone has over 2,400 affiliated clubs playing football in a range of formats, all of which contribute to the huge positive impact of local sports provision within our communities. The range of benefits these clubs can have within their local area is vast. They can help improve health, reduce social isolation, enhance employability skills and raise aspirations of young people.

County Durham Community Foundation is proud to support local sports groups who not only improve the health and motivation of those engaged, but are also working hard to widen participation and improve the diversity of their groups equipping many more to benefit from being involved.

In the last year CDCF awarded over £50,000 of grants to local football clubs working towards projects such as those listed above.

More broadly, a total of over £230,000 was awarded to 73 local sports groups last year, ranging from bowling clubs to table tennis and rollerskating!

For more information on how you can help local sports teams continue to add value to our communities and provide opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, please get in touch.