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British Orienteering is among the first group of over 40 organisations working in partnership with Sport England

British Orienteering is among the first group of over 40 organisations working in partnership with Sport England to receive funding from its new funding model. British Orienteering has a foundational role in the sport and physical activity sector and is therefore well placed to help level up access to sport and physical activity across the country.

British Orienteering will receive an investment of £1.214 m of government and National Lottery funding from Sport England. British Orienteering has been awarded long-term funding because it has committed to co-deliver change at a national and local level, to help more people enjoy the benefits of playing sport and being active.

All partner organisations were selected by Sport England due to their ability to influence positive change and improvement throughout the sector, their own networks, and beyond. This is the first step on a journey to revolutionise Sport England’s approach to long-term partnerships which will see it build new relationships with innovative organisations, as well as existing partners, local partners, and delivery partners to further the Uniting the Movement strategy.

Sport England research shows that some groups are typically less active – like women, people with long-term health conditions, disabled people, people from ethnically diverse communities, and lower socio-economic groups. Right now, the opportunities to get involved in sport and activity – and reap the rewards of being active – depend too much on your background, your gender, your bank balance, and your postcode.

Over £193 million is being invested for this first group, with the 43 partners including British Orienteering receiving funding for up to five years. This new funding model from Sport England provides longer-term financial security as organisations recover and reinvent from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of Sport England, said: “Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy aims to help everyone play sport and get active – no matter who they are, where they live, or what their background. But we know that certain groups are more likely to be inactive and need targeted support and investment. We can only innovate and tackle these inequalities effectively with collective action, recognising that this is about long-term change. British Orienteering is one of a huge number of partners we are looking to work with on exactly this over the coming years. They play a foundational role within the sport and physical activity sector and are therefore well-placed to create the conditions for change. They will also act as a resource for other innovative organisations with the same goals as we seek to create a more equal society with everyone benefitting from sport and physical activity.”

Peter Hart, CEO of British Orienteering, says:

We are grateful to Sport England for working with us to promote orienteering as a sport for everyone."

“We view our work with Sport England as a true partnership with a shared value placed on encouraging more people, from all walks of life, to use the sport of orienteering in its many forms a regular part of their routine and to enjoy the fantastic physical and mental benefits of being more active.”

“At the heart of everything we do is a determination to make sure there is equal opportunity for anyone who wants to orienteer and for them to feel that it is an affordable and accessible sport.”

“It’s a further boost to our new Strategy “Thriving Clubs for a New Generation”, which aims to support our clubs and officials to take the sport into the heart of our communities and schools to encourage the next generation.”

“Throughout this five-year partnership with Sport England, I’m certain we can make positive changes and welcome many more people to our sport.”

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