Statement on new national restrictions

2 Nov 2020 02:44 PM

We'll work with the government to update our resources and provide support to the sport and physical activity sector ahead of the new national coronavirus restrictions that come into force this week.

The government has announced new national restrictions to tackle coronavirus (Covid-19) that'll impact grassroots sport and physical activity.

The restrictions, that’ll apply to all areas of England, come into force on Thursday 5 November and you can find out more on the government’s website.

Tim Hollingsworth, our chief executive, believes the next month will be a challenging time for the sport and physical activity sector but says we'll do everything in our power to help.

“The people, clubs and organisations who are the bedrock of sport and physical activity across England have shown incredible resilience and strength through this year as we've sought to keep active and play the sports we love,” he explained.   

“We all recognise the new restrictions are part of a much larger response required by the government because of the rise in infections, but they'll present a significant further challenge and there's no doubt there are difficult days ahead for many in our sector.  

“It's never been more widely understood how important keeping active is to our individual physical health and mental wellbeing, and how crucial being fit and healthy is in helping the fight back against this pandemic. It’s therefore vital we do everything we can to continue to support people to keep active within what's permitted.  

“We've already several live funding packages available to help support grassroots clubs and organisations who've lost vital income this year and we’re working hard with officials in government to help make wider financial support available.    

“We're also delivering important campaigns which highlight the benefit of being active within the restrictions either at home or outside and we'll ensure these resources reach as many as possible.    

“There's still much that we can do to stay active, and it's notable that the importance of this was explicitly highlighted by the Prime Minister in his announcement. Our collective job now is to maximise what's possible and do everything we can to ensure that when this period of restriction ends, that sport is in the best place possible to return.”

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