Discover a range of indoor sports and activities in Great Yarmouth to keep you active this winter. From martial arts and gymnastics to dance and theatre, explore clubs funded by the Great Yarmouth Sport & Leisure Trust and find the perfect way to stay fit and motivated all season.
Discover exciting ways to keep the kids active this October half-term in Great Yarmouth. From beach adventures to heritage sites, explore family-friendly activities that everyone will enjoy!
Learn how the Great Yarmouth Sport & Leisure Trust grant supported James Borg, a GB Masters basketball player, in winning Bronze at the 2024 European Championships in Pesaro. Discover the impact of this support on his journey and future goals.
Explore how Sweaty Mamas is empowering mums and building a stronger community in Great Yarmouth through fitness classes, supported by a grant from the Great Yarmouth Sport & Leisure Trust.
We’re delighted to announce that the following organisations and people have received grassroots funding to support kit and equipment for their members in 2022:
These local organisations are crucial to providing alternative activities in supporting children and adults in sport and recreation, and in some instances, support work around the safety of vulnerable people. We are keen to support more in 2023.
To apply for funding, please download our form here.
Trustees Albert Jones and Graham Plant present cheque to Retro Skating Academy
Retro Skating Academy is our latest applicant to receive funding for their new venue. Retro Skating Academy will soon provide top GB training with more British Artistic Roller Skating Champions than anywhere else in the country. Their club is also a safe, secure place in the heart of the community for all, and has many skaters who are registered disabled who thrive in an inclusive, encouraging team environment.
GY Sporting Academy CIC, who manages the Academy has used a grant from Sport England towards the total project cost for the conversion and operation of a building. A building has been converted with ample parking for locals and visitors, which can grow the base of skaters to enable them to become a viable not for profit business able to sustain themselves into the future.
Commenting on the funding, Graham Plant, Chairman of Great Yarmouth Sport & Leisure Trust, said "Our purpose is to encourage positive activity in the borough, and for us, Retro Skating Academy has the potential to be a UK leading operation that benefits the community on many levels. We can also see greater benefits for the area and cultural benefits for young and older visitors who would attend galas all year round.”
Emma Parrott, Chairperson, Retro Skating Academy, explained, "Great Yarmouth has some challenging health demographics and we are championing the importance of physical activity for a healthy lifestyle. The SEND community is keen to set up an additional needs Roller Skating club, and we currently have many SEND members who thrive on routine and repetitive training. The events will be the most significant revenue for the Academy, and with GB Skate Artistic already committing to several events per year plus GB squad training, it's a positive and reassuring start for the Academy."
We’re delighted to announce that the following organisations and people have received grassroots funding to support kit and equipment for their members in 2021:
Great Yarmouth Martial Arts
Martham Cricket Club
Sweeney Sports Club
Engage Sports Coaching
Yarmouth United Football Club
Great Yarmouth Children's Theatre
Dragon's Stage and Theatre School
Caister United Football Club
PT Pete
Isabella's Dance and Musical Theatre Company
Broadway Bella's
DPA Dance Academy
Hopton Harriers and
Martham Football Club.
These local organisations are crucial to providing alternative activities in supporting children and adults in sport and recreation, and in some instances, support work around the safety of vulnerable people.
The borough has shown incredible resilience in the past 18 months. We are indebted to the volunteers for their commitment and enthusiasm to pick up and bring the community together and are keen to support more in 2022.
To apply for funding, please download our form here.
We’ve been working hard over the past year to reach communities, teams and individuals in the borough of Great Yarmouth, and need your help to reach more. The Trust has granted funds to football clubs, basketball teams, gymnastics clubs, boxing clubs, schools, running groups and carers in the community encouraging the community to get active. The funds are for kit, equipment, marketing costs or maintenance of facilities.
To give an idea of how our funding has helped in our borough, we have collated those who have successfully received grants. We hope you enjoy reading the full stories.
Flegg High Parkrun: We are pleased to announce that we have supported what we hope will be a fabulous venture: the Flegg High parkrun. To set up a parkrun requires funds, so whilst we have provided funding, we would love to help them reach their target with your support.
Spartans Amateur Boxing Club: The grant was used to purchase specialist equipment that allows young boxers to compete to required AIBA equipment standards. These items will allow all their boxers to compete at the highest level and at national boxing events.
"The funding is a fantastic contribution to the club as it will be spent on extra equipment for the ever-growing number of young children joining Spartans ABC."
“The funding bought boxing gloves and head-guards so more members can be involved in boxing shows.”
Yarmouth Football Club: Funding to support a new girls football club will increase opportunities for younger girls to get active in Great Yarmouth. The planned purchase list includes cones, bibs, balls and a new training software called ‘dribble up’, which is a fun and interactive way of developing ball skills.
“Having the money to invest in training facilities allows us to attract more local young people as we can provide high quality football coaching that is engaging and specific to their needs.”
East Norfolk Sixth form Basketball offers great sporting opportunities. Football is a big part of the college, and they are looking to diversify to attract other students into a different sport. The college is trying to grow the Basketball Club, which currently has between 12-15 students who regularly take part in Basketball training sessions at the college.
The grant will be for new branded kit as the team are now playing in regular fixtures, but only have an old very limited basketball kit. The grant will also help to provide the team with new balls for matches and training sessions. This means the small team can grow next year as the new equipment and kit will help to recruit new players from September 2019.
Hopton Primary School PTA: The children were playing football matches in their PE kit, and it was felt that funding for proper kit would encourage those who don't participate in sport to do so outside of school hours. Some families can't commit to rigid training and games being held at the weekends. These children would have the opportunity of belonging to a school team, and the proper kits would help achieve this.
Mr Petersen from the school said: “The 'buzz' around football games is palpable with children so keen to know which number they are going to have and where they are going to play. The children look so smart, and it has made a difference in their confidence and sense of belonging."
Air Training Corps No 221: is a charity connected to the Royal Air Force. The squadron helps young people aged 12-21 to become better leaders, sportspeople and promote a spirit of adventure. The 29 members are mainly from the local area of Great Yarmouth.
"We had an old outdated batch of t-shirts to play sports in. With new sportswear we can encourage more members from the community to join, and it will increase team spirit and motivation."
With new kit, the group will actively push more sporting activities weekly to encourage a healthier lifestyle and promote wellbeing.
Willow Tree Works provides a variety of activities for adults and children with additional needs. The activities include gardening, catering, DIY skills development and fitness and healthy eating programmes. Willow Tree Works is setting up a new fitness class which is open to learners and the wider community. The funds from GYSLT will provide specific fitness equipment for a new fitness session. The learners have access to a developing selection of activities which gives them a sense of purpose, increasing their skills base and allowing them to integrate not only with their peers but also working towards a healthier lifestyle.
Caister Football Club: Received an extra boost to its attempts to improve the playing field with a £500 award from Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust. This award maximised Caister FCs fundraising efforts to purchase their own ground maintenance equipment enabling people of all ages and abilities to participate in football nearer to home.
Shrublands Junior Football Club: Shrublands JFC is a youth football club with 200+ members including one of a few girls’ teams in the area. The club was fundraising for new equipment to maintain the community club for 3-16 year olds. If you look closely, you can see the Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust logo on this brilliant team of under 14s at the Shrublands Football Club in Gorleston.
“Fantastic investment into our club meaning we can replace old kit with new, we can't thank you enough” said the club’s spokesperson.
Tai Chi for health NORSUF Running Group: Established in 2016 NORSUF Running Group is a free and friendly welcoming environment for new runners. You do not have to be a runner or achieve any standard to join; everyone takes part their way.
With funding from Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust they were able to train two volunteer Run Leaders allowing them to offer more opportunities to join our group over a wider area around the borough. Those volunteers have now completed their training and are just awaiting their licence from England Athletics before they set up groups in Caister, Bradwell and Gorleston!
Southtown Primary School teaches 220 pupils in Great Yarmouth. We were very happy to support their application for football kit for all ages as it helps children participate far more in competitions and inter-school events.
The school want to increase self-confidence as it gives all children a chance to play. Having a professional looking kit can’t be underestimated for children’s pride and motivation.
Nuno in Year said “We feel proud to represent our school in our new kits. We all looked smart and it made us play better!”
East Norfolk Gymnastics Club: We were thrilled to have been able to push East Norfolk Gymnastics Club up to the funding amount they needed to buy new equipment.
They're a community-based gymnastics club, teaching both boys and girls from the age of 5 up to 18 years old. They have 75 members and a waiting list of over 200. The funding we've contributed to helped to buy a new set of asymmetrical bars. The old bars were over 20 years old and unable to be adjusted which they need to be able to do. The new equipment will help the gymnasts to perform greater skills and linking moves between the bars with greater confidence, which will help them when they compete in competitions.
Revolutionary Roots: A Youth and Community Group working on various projects across the borough of Great Yarmouth. The group applied to the Trust for funds towards sports equipment which will aid holistically against substance abuse, anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.
As well as working with mainstream young people the charity also helps other members of the community by: Working with young people to get involved in sport and physical activity and lessening boredom and anti-social behaviour, instead empowering towards personal development
The charities ethos is about running cost effective sessions across the borough, and the funding has enabled them to offer sessions out to other groups to utilise their equipment with the instructor.
If you are part of an amazing sports team or an individual and would like to apply for up to £500 of funding, then we are taking applications for awarding in May 2020.
Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust are pleased to announce a grant has been made to Willow Tree Works in Belton to provide specific fitness equipment for brand new fitness sessions for people with additional needs.
In 2009 a forgotten, neglected piece of land was purchased and the volunteers at Willow Tree Works made what was a neglected area into a garden for people with additional needs. The area was dense with gorse, and all sorts of rubbish, but slowly they cleared it to produce a blank canvas.
The BBC called it ‘a little piece of paradise’ and urged the volunteers to look after this special place. And that is exactly what they have been doing ever since. Over the years it has been built from the ground up and now has classrooms, toilets, chickens and an outside area that is utilised as much as possible, from planting to dog agility workshops!
Willow Tree Works is a unique project, driven solely by the needs of those with disabilities and their carers in the Norfolk and Suffolk area. The project aims to deliver individually targeted skills-based learning that will promote employment potential, along with personal achievements and well-being. The ethos of the garden is summed up in their motto, 'growing stronger together'.
The learners have access to a developing selection of activities which gives them a sense of purpose, increasing their skills base, improving their day to day lives and allowing them to integrate not only with their peers but also working towards a healthier lifestyle. Fitness plays a large part in their ethos and activities and Willow Tree Works is setting up a new fitness class which is open to learners and the wider community. The funds from GYSLT will provide specific fitness equipment for these brand new fitness sessions.
With a high percentage of learners being considered overweight this is a fantastic opportunity for them to work on their fitness, skills and confidence especially with the equipment being provided: Reebok steps, weights and yoga mats.
There are a considerable number of children and adults in the Great Yarmouth area who have learning difficulties. Many have no access to a useful base to spend their days. The activities at Willow Tree Works deliver skills-based learning, and fitness is needed to tackle the projects. Getting fitter with the new equipment which the Trust are helping to fund will help the learners develop their skills and confidence in other projects tackled at the Garden.
If you are part of an amazing project helping your community and would like to apply for up to £500 of funding, then we are taking applications for awarding in November 2019.
Check out the latest fundraising project! The Gofundme page is here
Sport England have published the results of a survey which shows that around 3 million children (43.3%) lead active lives, however of that group, only 1.2 million (17.5%) are meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of more than 60 minutes of activity a day, every day of the week.
Sports Minister Mims Davies said: "While it is encouraging that 3 million children do at least an average of 60 minutes of sport or physical activity every day, the number of young people who are not doing enough is simply unacceptable.
"We know that an active child is a happier child and efforts must be stepped up to encourage young people to live healthy, active lives and I know that Sport England are committed to making progress in this area.
"Our School Sport and Activity Action Plan will also ensure that all children have access to quality PE, sport sessions and clubs. Together with the sport sector, parents and our local communities, we must build a comprehensive and cross Government offer to create a truly active nation."
Public Health England's head of diet, obesity and physical activity, Dr Alison Tedstone, added: “Physical activity is crucial for good physical and mental health of children and young people - this work is a timely reminder for everyone to do more to help them be more active.”
We’re seeking teams, clubs and individuals in the borough of Great Yarmouth who need funding to help get or keep us active. Please spread the word.
Team sports reduce obesity and increase overall health.
Athletes who train with a team are healthier.
Being part of a team enhances self-image.
Competition improves endurance.
Team sports increase long-term happiness.
Team sports make you smarter.
Convinced?! If your team needs funding for equipment, kit or fundraising materials - check out our criteria, you could be eligible for funding for up to £500.
NORSUF RG at Gorleston Cliffs parkrun
Thai Chi provides a no cost activity called Run Together NORSUF Running Group, which was established in May 2017. During that time, 154 people have registered and walked/run with the group for free.
Trevor Rawson is the only volunteer Group and Run Leader. He facilitates two free sessions per week limited to a max 16 people per session. The group could expand if there are more volunteer leaders but they have to be trained and licenced. With two additional leaders the group size could increase and additional weekly sessions could be offered, helping more people to get out and run.
We have awarded funding so they can train two volunteer Run Leaders. This will help open up more opportunities to join the group over a wider area around the borough.
Trevor says, “Established in 2016 NORSUF Running Group is a free and friendly welcoming environment for new runners. You do not have to be a runner or achieve any standard to join; everyone takes part their way. Receiving funding from Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust will allow us to train two additional volunteer Run Leaders for our Group. They will go on to conduct their own sessions welcoming more people to an activity that can, with regular practice be life changing. As an England Athletics Coach and Mental Health Champion I have seen some fantastic personal and physical achievements by our members. #Runandtalk”.
A recent Sport England survey, the largest ever of its kind, gives comprehensive insight into how children in England are taking part in sport and physical activity, both in and out of school.
3 million children (43.3%) lead active lives, however of that group, only 1.2 million (17.5%) are meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of more than 60 minutes of activity a day, every day of the week.
Sport England Tim Hollingsworth said, “I am calling for a national focus on the health and wellbeing of our nation’s children and for the whole system to be united in delivering change. Our children deserve better and Sport England is determined to play its part,” he said.
“Parents, schools, the sport and leisure industry and government all have a role to play in addressing and increasing childhood activity.”
Are you trying to set up a sports club for children? Please see if you’re eligible for up to £500 funding from us here
Great Yarmouth Road Runners 2017
Great Yarmouth Road Runners are pleased to announce that the Great Yarmouth East Coast 10k returns again in 2018.
The popular accurately measured route takes you along the fast and flat pavements and promenade of Great Yarmouth with fast times a guarantee on Sunday 14th October at 10:30am, St Georges Theatre, Trafalgar Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
There is a race memento for all participants - plus age category prizes and prizes for leading runners available.
There are refreshments, changing and plenty of onsite parking available.
With recent research revealing that 89% of runners said that running regularly made them happier, as well as having a positive impact on their mental health and body image, why not get training and sign up here!
Can you help people become more active in the Borough of Great Yarmouth? A recent survey conducted by Sport England reported that 11.5m people in the UK (25.7%) are inactive, meaning they do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.
Do you need funding for your walking club, running / cycling / swimming / racket group?
We're reviewing applications now, ready to award in September. Please apply here!
parkrun is an inclusive event run entirely by volunteers who are all parkrunners themselves. It is not a race and anyone is welcome to come to walk, run, volunteer or spectate. With over 1.7 MILLION runners in the UK, it is a great way to start the weekend.
It is simple to register and all parkruns are free. The organisers are keen to make it accessible to all members of the community including those with disabilities and long term health conditions.
If you live in the borough of Great Yarmouth, your local parkruns are every Saturday at 9am at Gorleston Cliffs and also at Fritton Lake.
Get active! If you haven't registered before, you can register here - see you there!
The FA is considering selling Wembley Stadium to release funds to support community football, which we think is a great idea. But how is your pitch looking? Did you know we can help football teams in the borough of Great Yarmouth with seed funding of up to £500?
There are 21,000 grassroots clubs, 50 county FAs, 25,000 schools and 330 local authorities which are catered for by the FA and, along with the finding that only one in three grassroots pitches are of adequate quality, the FA's written evidence also highlights:
"The word for grassroots football is 'crisis,'" said Kenny Saunders, who runs pressure group Save Grassroots Football. Read more about how the FA support grass roots football here
Pushing Ahead helps hundreds of people build activity through walking and cycling and THEY ARE COMING to the Great Yarmouth Wheels festival on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th of July!
15,000 motorbikes, vintage vehicles and modern motors come to the seafront and this year 'Pushing Ahead' are also bringing three exhibits:
FUN ZONE CHALLENGE - test your biking skills over ramps and under the cycle limbo, there is also a Learn to Ride zone
DOC SPINOFF'S TRICKY TRIKES - Test your balance and riding skills on some unusual bikes - try reverse steering, hand pedal and other wacky bikes!
FREE BIKE REPAIR SESSION - We will fix your bike and then we'll help you become more confident riding it!
Admission is free, near Britannia Pier, Anchor Gardens and the Sea Life Gardens.
Click here for more info
Research by Activity Alliance has shown that disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive as non-disabled people, but 70 per cent of disabled people want to be more active.
Psychological barriers play the biggest role in preventing disabled people from taking part in sports, however seven out of ten disabled people WANT to be more active. One in five people in Britain have an impairment - that's 11.5m disabled people.
Having an active lifestyle can have many advantages. Regular physical exercise provides social benefits and mental health improvements, including:
We can't find many opportunities in our area on the Active Alliance website - can you set up a club or a group in the borough of Great Yarmouth?
With Disability Awareness Day around the corner (July 15), now is the time to apply for your funding - the application form is here. Please get involved!
Information sourced from Active Alliance website.
A recent survey conducted by Sport England reports that 11.5m people in the UK (25.7%) are inactive, meaning they do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.
Are you looking to help people become more active in the Borough of Great Yarmouth? Adults can achieve 150+ minutes of sports activity a week through a combination of walking, running, cycling, swimming, team sports, adventure and racket sports.
Sports promote teamwork, unity and confidence as well as boosting health and wellbeing too.
We make awards of up to £500 to support sport and leisure community projects to get more people active in the Borough of Great Yarmouth. Can you help? The application form is here!
Charity No. 1114561
