COVID’s Lost Generation: 186,000 Children in Wales Face Physical and Mental Health Challenges as a Result of Cuts to Grassroots Clubs

New analysis into the impact of COVID-19 on young people has found that Welsh children could be at a higher risk of negative outcomes from the pandemic.¹ In Wales, 186,000 children are not currently getting their recommended 60 minutes of exercise per day. This amounts to an incredible 45 percent of all children in the country.²

The pandemic has had a significant impact on this number, with fewer children meeting their recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise in 2020 than in 2019. This is largely due to a drop in the number of grassroots sports and recreational clubs available for children to take part in. In fact, research has shown that vital extra-curricular activities have been suspended in 72 percent of primary schools nationally for the current academic year.³

The impact of this drop in physical activity is significant. Children who stay active are 15.5 times less likely to suffer from obesity than those who don’t.⁴ Inactivity also effects mental health. Data shows that children who regularly play team sports feel six percent happier and 12 percent more satisfied with life on average when compared to those who don’t play sport.⁵

With half of all mental health conditions established by the age of 14, concerns are mounting that this could have a long-term effect on a whole generation of children whose access to extra-curricular activities has been incredibly limited.

Analysis by PlayFundWin.com, the digital fundraising platform, reveals the true extent of the impact of the pandemic on grassroots clubs which provide children with vital exercise, confidence, and skills.

Sports organisations have been among the hardest hit, with research showing that UK sports clubs lost as many as 60 percent of their members during COVID.⁶

Football, the UK’s most popular game, is just one of the sports to be severely impacted. 96 percent of all grassroots football clubs have seen a reduction in income during the pandemic due to lack of fundraising opportunities and loss of sponsorship. As a result, a whopping 12 percent of the 43,000 football clubs in the UK, which comprise of over 100,000 teams⁷, fear closure is inevitable.⁸ This equates to over 5,000 clubs closing their doors to budding young players forever.

The strain can also be felt across other sports. It is estimated that 240,000 fewer children will be able to swim 25 metres by the end of this academic year as a result of suspended swimming lessons and leisure centre closures.⁹ Similarly, it’s estimated that 73 percent of gymnastics clubs are at risk, with 55 percent facing permanent closure.¹⁰

In addition to sports clubs, the pandemic has also had a significant impact on other vital extra-curricular clubs. The Scout Association claims that more than 500 Scout groups are at risk of closure due to fundraising challenges, whilst a third of music groups report that they are working with fewer children as a result of COVID-19. Plus, with only a third of youth music clubs able to operate fully with social distancing rules in place, many have been operating at a reduced capacity for over 16 months.¹¹

Grassroots clubs and organisations offer a lifeline to young people across the UK. With the future of thousands of these essential organisations hanging in the balance, fundraising has never been so important. Play Fund Win, a revolutionary new digital fundraising platform, has been launched in response to this growing problem. The platform allows sports clubs, event organisers, and charities to fundraise simply and effectively by hosting online raffles. Unlike other fundraising schemes, Play Fund Win’s draws ensure a minimum of half of the profits go directly to clubs, whilst offering entrants the opportunity to win cash prizes and money-can’t-buy experiences.

Dan Schofield, CEO at Play Fund Win, commented: “We know just how important grassroots clubs and organisations are for maintaining young people’s mental and physical wellbeing. With so many clubs across the nation reaching crisis point, fundraising is vital in order to preserve these valued institutions and provide much needed resources and equipment, such as defibrillators.

“Unfortunately, this desperate need for funds comes at a time when many families are still suffering from reduced income as a result of the pandemic, meaning that fundraising is harder than ever. That’s where Play Fund Win comes in. Designed to make fundraising cashless, simple and fun whilst offering the added incentive of the opportunity to win prizes, the platform offers a lifeline to the youth organisations that do so much for their local communities.”

The company has already helped grassroots clubs across the country to raise the funds they need to continue to offer services to children. The platform also supports professional clubs and organisations to fundraise for the charities they care about. The Rugby Football League (RFL), is just one of the major names on board, with the organisation hosting a nationwide Community Rugby League Raffle to raise funds for grassroots clubs and club foundations. Over a third of all clubs in England are set to benefit from fundraising, with 70% from every £5 ticket sold going directly to the club which each entrant selects. Those who purchase a ticket also have the chance to win a club-specific jackpot, a nationwide jackpot and one of a series of exclusive prizes including training experiences with the England Rugby League teams and tickets to the Rugby League World Cup Final in November.

To find out more about the analysis please visit: https://playfundwin.com/the-effects-on-childrens-mental-and-physical-health-from-covid-19-related-cuts-to-grassroots-sports-clubs/