New investment will complement fund's existing programme

The National Lottery Good Cause distributor and the Sports Council for NI have teamed up to promote physical activity in disadvantaged communities.

The Community Sport Programme is being extended through a �2.4m grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

Local communities will be able to apply for funding to appoint Community Sports Development Officers in a bid to promote healthier lifestyles through innovative sports activities.

The programme aims to attract older people, women, people with disabilities and ethnic minority groups into sport and physical activity.

Organisers pointed to innovative sports activities at the Waterworks multi-sports facility in north Belfast as an example of what could be funded under the extended programme.

Diarmuid McAuley, Waterworks facility development manager, said previous Sports Council funding helped bring young people from interface areas together and boost people's health.

We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Sports Council for Northern Ireland to support this innovative new way of funding sport in the community Breidge Gadd Big Lottery Fund

"The funding has allowed us to try out some innovative sports activities such as the crime diversion soccer coaching programme and the coaching programme with Protestant and Catholic schoolchildren," he said.

"It has made a big difference to the community in north Belfast which has been characterised over the years for having limited structured sports activities.

"Sport is the one thing that can bring people together and the activities we run are enabling local people to improve their quality of life while boosting their health."

'Lot in common'

Teenager Brendan Malone, who has taken part in sports at the Waterworks, said he believed getting involved in sport had stopped him from getting involved in anti-social activities.

"I'm now a member of the junior committee and take part in courses on drug awareness as well as sports," said the 14-year-old.

"The activities are great because taking part means that I'm not on the streets getting into trouble.

"It's also given me the chance to get involved in sports events with young people from Protestant communities and made me realise that we have a lot in common."

Breidge Gadd, one of the Big Lottery Fund's Northern Ireland Board Members, said the new investment would complement the fund's existing programme which addressed health and social inclusion through sport.

"We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Sports Council for Northern Ireland to support this innovative new way of funding sport in the community," she said.

"The increased provision for a wide range of physical activities will create new opportunities for people to get fit and stay fit and will particularly focus on our most disadvantaged communities."

Sports Council Chief Executive Eamonn McCartan said: "The Sports Council is delighted with this additional funding for community sport. It will provide an excellent opportunity for our community to participate in sport and lead a healthier lifestyle."