Fields in Trust: Active Spaces

Overview

Active Spaces is a national programme which will create activity programmes to inspire the most inactive communities to get active and use their local outdoor spaces. The programme will secure 50 new Fields in Trust protected sites across the UK and help increase participation in many different physical activities on local parks, playing fields and green spaces which will be protected for future generations to use and enjoy.

The Active Spaces programme combines the protection in perpetuity of green spaces, together with revenue funding to engage inactive people on those spaces. Each site will be offered delivery of a physical activity project on-site to the value of £5,000 to serve local needs and target identified groups of inactive people.

Sites and projects will be selected following an assessment which will include impact potential and whether matched funding has been secured to increase project value.

What is available?

Landowners can opt to select a programme to be delivered on the site by one of their national partners, to the equivalent value of £5000, or apply to deliver a programme themselves or via a local delivery agent.

What can be funded?

Examples of what they could fund include:

• Fitness bootcamps
• Jogging introductory sessions
• Walking football/cricket programmes
• Outdoor fitness equipment coaching programmes
• Other sport taster sessions

Key Funding Criteria

• The physical activity programme must take place at the newly protected Fields in Trust field.
• The field should be located within an area that has a level of physical inactivity within the target groups that is higher than the regional average. Inactivity defined as being those doing less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.
• The landowner must be able to demonstrate a commitment to tackling physical inactivity.
• The programme should aim to engage inactive people, including those from any of the following groups:

- disabled people

- women and girls

- people from lower socio-economic groups

- those at risk of long-term health conditions

- people from particular ethnic groups

- older people (55+)

• The Active Spaces programme should aim to be a catalyst to deliver longer term sustainable physical activity opportunities.
• Programme deliverers must commit to monitoring the programme through the registration and surveying of activity participants, via the programme forms included as appendices to the guidance notes. Deliverers must also return the collated data to us in the format requested. If a landowner selects to use FIT’s delivery partner, this partner shall be responsible for this monitoring.
• Programme deliverers and landowners must be able to commit to a target of engaging previously inactive people during the programme. Engagement defined as attendance of at least 50% of the total sessions.
• The funding must be spent on the programme outlined in your application.
• Programmes must be completed within 12 months of a grant being awarded.

For more details including full criteria and guidelines see the website