Tuesday, 30 January 2018

 Health promotion foundation VicHealth is aiming to get more Gippsland locals taking part in community sport with around $400,000 in new Active Club Grants funding announced today.

Community sport clubs in Gippsland are encouraged to apply for the grants to start up new social programs and women and girls’ teams in a bid to make it easier and more attractive for less active locals to play sport.

Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing,said VicHealth’s Active Club Grants program has enabled sports clubs in Gippsland to deliver new opportunities for locals to get active.

“Getting active is so important for our health and Gippsland grassroots sports clubs play a vital role in helping people in our community to keep fit and healthy,” Harriet Shing said.

“Active Club Grants is about making club sport more accessible, so everyone can get involved in the sports they love regardless of their age, gender or ability.

VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter said Active Club Grants are an important part of VicHealth’s strategy to have 300,000 more Victorians taking part in regular physical activity by 2023.

“Our modern lifestyle is increasingly sedentary and less than a third of Australians are getting enough physical activity to be healthy,” Ms Rechter said.

“Our Active Club Grants program is about making sport fun, accessible and inclusive – we want everyone to have the opportunity to be active and healthy.

“I encourage Gippsland sports clubs who want to get more people in the community involved in their sport to apply for a grant today.”

Active Club Grants provide funding of up to $3,000 or up to $10,000 to community sport clubs to start up new social and modified sport programs, or to deliver new opportunities for women and girls to play sport.

Applications for VicHealth Active Club Grants open today and Gippsland clubs are encouraged to apply through the VicHealth website before applications close at 4pm Friday 2 March 2018.

For further information or to apply online, visit www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/activeclub.