The continued drive to get more people active across Wales is being supported by £3.5m of Welsh Government funding going towards 37 sporty projects.
Allocated by Sport Wales, the funding will widen access to sports and physical activity among communities, create more artificial pitches in places that need them most, and also support our most talented athletes to achieve their dreams.
Several local authorities successfully applied for funding to help make leisure centres more energy efficient so that activities can remain affordable for communities to enjoy.
For example, running costs will be slashed at the LC in Swansea thanks to the installation of solar panels and LED lighting, while £175,226 worth of improvements will help conserve energy at many sites across Pembrokeshire.
Other popular facilities will benefit from reduced utility bills too. The Urdd will use £25,860 towards the installation of solar panels at the Llangrannog Residential Centre, while Queensway Stadium in Wrexham will install LED lighting which will improve the stadium’s energy efficiency and sustainability.
Innovative ideas to help more people become active have received significant funding. Pembrokeshire County Council’s plans for using Artificial Intelligence technology to create personalised workouts for all abilities will receive £99,630, while Welsh Boxing has received funding to introduce opportunities for Virtual Reality Boxing – ideal for giving people who have impairments a chance to enjoy the sport safely.
A proposal to resurface the athletics track at the Pembrokeshire Sports Village has been awarded £191,253, while Sport Wales has worked together with the Football Association of Wales, Welsh Rugby Union and Hoci Cymru to allocate funding towards a number of new artificial pitches in Port Talbot, Wrexham, Cwmbran, Colwyn Bay and Haverfordwest.
Hot on the heels of a successful Paris 2024 Games for Welsh athletes, more than half a million pounds is being invested into improving facilities and creating better sporting environments so that the country’s most talented sportsmen and women can fulfil their potential.
Projects awarded funding include the creation of a first-ever Centre of Excellence for Welsh Boxing, a series of upgrades at The Wales National Pool and the National Hockey Centre, improvements to the performance gym at the National Indoor Athletics Centre, and the installation of 2,000 more seats at the House of Sport venue in Cardiff – the home of performance netball in Wales.
