Grassroots clubs to get more residents active with West Suffolk grant

06 Mar 2026

Grassroots sports clubs across West Suffolk are being backed with grants to get more people active which can benefit their health, happiness and quality of life.  

The grants from West Suffolk Council’s Get Back Into Sport fund will provide opportunities for people to get into a host of sports and activities ranging from running, football, cricket, and rugby through to bowls, boxing training, pickleball and dance.

The money will be used to pay for kit, equipment and other costs that will see clubs expand their membership, create additional teams as well as offer walking versions of sports.

In total just under £26,400 is being paid out to 41 clubs and other community organisations as part of West Suffolk Council’s Strategic Priority for Thriving Communities.

Cllr Donna Higgins, Cabinet Member for Families and Communities at West Suffolk Council said: “Keeping active and taking part in sports brings huge benefits to people’s physical and mental health.

“Through Feel Good Suffolk we offer free tailored support to people to get more active, manage their weight or quit smoking.

“But we also want to support more people to get involved with the sports activities that are being delivered on the doorstep within their local community.

“We want to encourage this as a way of life for all ages from children through to their parents and grandparents, supporting their health, happiness and their quality of life.

“These grants will help achieve that, bringing people together, reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness and forging new friendships, as well as a sense of pride and belonging and fun.

“I also want to take this opportunity to thank all our groups and volunteers in West Suffolk for all their hard work and passion for running these groups and encouraging and supporting people taking up new activities.

“Anyone thinking of starting a new group should get in touch, as we also have the new ‘Go for it Grant’ with up to £300 to support new groups starting up.”

West Suffolk Council has used close to £26,400 of money allocated to the council from Central Government under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to provide the grants. The grants were subject to UKSPF criteria.

 

Below is a table outlining the grants that are being paid out under West Suffolk Council’s Get Back Into Sport fund.
 

 

Who	Where	How much	What for
Bardwell Cricket Club	Bardwell	£649.75	Cricket equipment to cater for all ages and genders.
Brecks Landscape Partnership	Brandon and across West Suffolk	£605.50	To support community social runs in collaboration with the charity Run Breckland, benefitting residents who are inactive or who are returning to physical activity or who face barriers such as low confidence or safety concerns.
Bury St Edmunds Basketball Club	Bury St Edmunds	£500	Reduced cost session for low-income families and new players through a five-week programme.
Bury St Edmunds Bowls Club	Bury St Edmunds	£516	Club shirts to make new members feel welcome and encourage others to join, providing social contact and exercise including for people who may otherwise feel isolated.
Bury St Edmunds Cricket Club	Bury St Edmunds	£750	For coaching and first aid equipment that will enable more training sessions to be held.
Bury St Edmunds Rugby Union Football Club	Bury St Edmunds	£750	Kit to support walking rugby for people who are retired, have a disability and for over 30s to get back into sport.
Bury Spectrum	Bury St Edmunds	£750	For gymnastics equipment that will enable more classes increasing the number of participants.
Bury St Edmunds Town Football Club	Bury St Edmunds	£750	Kits and equipment to support new under 7s and disability teams.
Clare Darts Group	Clare	£743	For equipment that will enable more events to encourage greater participation.
Clare's infant football club Rising Stars	Clare	£560	Start-up costs including training and equipment for  new community group offering football coaching to children aged from three to six-years-old.
Coldham Hall Football Club	Hawstead	£600	To further develop youth football with the funding being spent on kit and equipment.
Exning United Football Club	Exning	£743	Kit, training equipment, coaches, qualifications to enable new teams to be created and to support new youth sides that have been started.
Fight Club boxing training	Clare	£585	To support creation of new community group, offering local teenagers the opportunity to learn the disciplines of boxing for fitness, mental health and a fun way to stay or get fit.
Forest Heath Primary Schools’ Sports Association	Brandon, Mildenhall and Newmarket	£620	To support the development year nine and ten students as coaches and officials through Sports Leaders Academy.
Formations Dance Company	Exning and Tuddenham	£750	New equipment to assist in training- and associated costs to enable children to be able to perform.
Haverhill Running Club	Haverhill	£140	10 First Aid Kits and training of coaches to enable the club to support growth in membership.
Haverhill Tennis Club	Haverhill	£750	For equipment and delivery of a new programme, working with local charities and organisations supporting young people and families in hardship to provide young people the opportunity to play tennis.
Hundon Football Club	Hundon	£594	Goal posts and footballs to support creation of new under sevens girls' and boys' teams.
Innov8 Workshops	Bury St Edmunds	£750	To install outdoor gym equipment at our new site at St Edmundsbury Cathedral for use by people aged 11-16 attending innov8 alternative education provision.
Inspire Fitness Sudbury	Clare	£746.10	Equipment for free weekly community fitness sessions, removing financial barriers and enabling individuals who may not otherwise be able to afford fitness or sports activities to take part in a supportive and welcoming environment.
Jetts Netball Club	Bury St Edmunds	£520	Equipment and court hire to support free walking netball for new players.
Lakenheath Youth Football Club	Lakenheath	£750	Portable goals to support creation of new football teams for children aged between six and 16.
Mildenhall Cricket Club	Mildenhall	£675.30	Kit, equipment and coaching to support cricket for girls and boys aged seven to 15-year-old.
Mildenhall Scouts Group	Mildenhall	£750	For tent equipment that will enable more participants for scout activities including hiking and orienteering.
Mildenhall Town Youth Football Club	Mildenhall	£750	Kit and equipment to hold weekly walking football sessions for older men and women so that they can return to football, getting fitter, making new friendships and improving their physical and mental health.
Moreton Hall Youth Football Club U13 Wolves	Bury St Edmunds	£584	New football kit to expand team.
Moreton Men sports group	Bury St Edmunds	£750	Sports equipment for football, darts, netball and yoga to take on more members and support the local community.
Newmarket Cricket Club	Newmarket	£600	For cricket catching cradle that will support people into sport.
Newmarket Gymnastics Club	Newmarket	£600	Equipment to support training and to enable the club to attract new members.
Newmarket Joggers	Newmarket	£530.50	Qualified leader training for three volunteers so they can run sessions and support members.
2nd Newmarket Scouts Group	Newmarket	£750	Multipurpose sports equipment to help 60-80 young people explore sports that they may have limited access to and keep fit and healthy.
Newmarket URC tennis club	Newmarket	£400	For equipment to enable the club to launch Pickleball sessions and attract more people into sport.
Out-Space community interest company	Bury St Edmunds	£750	For fishing gear to encourage more people to try fishing for the first time.
Pakenham Village Hall	Pakenham	£624.04	Football goals, footballs and first aid kit to attract local teams to use the facilities on site.
Red Lodge Sports Pavillion	Red Lodge	£114.89	Volleyball nets to offer the sport as a new community activity.
Saint Edmunds Pacers	Bury St Edmunds	£750	Funding for additional summer sessions to encourage junior athletes into the sport.
Stanton Youth Football Club	Stanton	£750	Portable goals and equipment to support creation of new teams for young children.
The New Croft Foundation	Haverhill	£743	Coaching, facility hire and equipment costs to deliver taster sessions for people with special needs and people suffering from social isolation.
Thurlow Youth Football Club	Thurlow	£655.25	Kit, footballs and training equipment to provide football for thirteen boys and girls in Thurlow and the surrounding villages and Haverhill.
Vogue Athletics	Newmarket	£750	Extend training space so they can encourage more people to take part in the sport.
Worlington Cricket Club	Worlington	£750	Will enable new ladies' group to be created.

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