Flutter Entertainment’s Cash4Clubs and Made By Sport collaboration, known as the “Club Crisis,” has produced a social effect of £24 million (€28.8 million/$31.4 million) since its inception.
The initiative, launched last April, collaborates with the UK Community Foundation (UKCF) to distribute funds to community clubs across the UK. It aims to assist groups that were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its inaugural year, over £4 million was allocated to 1,822 community clubs. The majority of the funding (63%) was directed towards the smallest and most challenging-to-reach clubs, which typically generate less than £25,000 annually and are operated by volunteers.
A recent report indicates that for every £1 invested in sports for good, an average of £6 in social value is generated. This implies that the £4 million in grants has yielded a £24 million social impact.
Flutter supports the “Club Crisis” fund, which has generated a £24 million social impact.
From March 2020 to March 2021, Flutter received a substantial £79 million in business tax assistance from the UK government. This financial aid, which represented the company’s total business tax relief during the pandemic, aimed to ease the financial strain on businesses during the pandemic.
Flutter was compelled to shut down its 349 Paddy Power stores in the UK for a significant portion of 2020 and 2021 due to lockdowns and other COVID-19 restrictions.
The report reveals that these grants not only contributed to securing the financial well-being of numerous clubs but also played a crucial role in assisting young individuals and communities in their recovery following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.
Consequently, 40% of the grant was designated to clubs whose primary social objectives were fostering life skills and youth employability, 35% to community development, crime reduction, and combating anti-social behavior, and the remaining 25% to enhancing mental health.
“I firmly believe that access to sports can transform the lives of young people, both mentally and physically, and contribute to improved life outcomes,” stated Peter Jackson, CEO of Flutter. “The dedicated volunteers who commit their time and passion to community sports are genuine role models, and I am truly pleased that this funding has been able to positively impact so many individuals in such a brief period.”
This document emphasizes the potent influence of athletics, its capacity to mitigate societal inequities and cultivate communal harmony. It is my hope that this document motivates more individuals to champion sports and contribute to societal betterment.
Justin King, the head of Made By Sport, remarked: “We are immensely proud of the accomplishments of the ‘Club Crisis’ initiative. We are convinced that sports can transform the lives of young individuals, so it is truly gratifying to witness the number of sports clubs and communities that have been preserved by the ‘Club Crisis’ fund, and the countless young lives that have been enhanced as a consequence.”
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