Sport England’s chief executive, Tim Hollingsworth, has issued a statement in response to the government’s plans to support grassroots football and ensure children’s access to sports in schools.
The statement highlights the importance of football in driving physical activity across the country, with over 40% of children participating in football weekly and 3.6 million adults engaging in the sport in the past year.
Hollingsworth welcomes the government’s commitment to grassroots football, emphasizing its role in promoting health, happiness, and social connections. He notes that Sport England has invested over £440 million of National Lottery funding into football in England over the past two decades, aiming to make the sport accessible to everyone regardless of their background or location.
The statement also mentions Sport England’s efforts to create opportunities for diverse groups, including women, girls, disabled people, and older individuals, to participate in football.
Hollingsworth concludes by referencing Sport England’s 10-year strategy, “Uniting the Movement,” which focuses on addressing inequalities that prevent people from leading active lives and expresses a commitment to working alongside the government to tackle these issues.
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