Over £2,000 has been donated by Barker-Mill Foundation (BMF) to support two sports-based organisations in the New Forest area. Both New Forest Bike Project (NFBP) and Totton & Eling Youth Football Club received £1,000 from the organisation.
NFBP, a not-for-profit community and social enterprise which takes in unwanted bicycles to repair, restore and relocate, relies on cash donations and unwanted bikes which they fix and give away for free to those in need, or sell to raise much needed funds. The donation from BMF has helped the organisation rent the space they need to continue to repair and store the bikes.
The organisation helps people from all walks of life get out on bikes. NFBP aims to engage people, particularly those in need, with all aspects of the project from bike-maintenance to cycling – helping to build confidence, skills, health and well-being.
Mr Louis Bonney, Project Manager at NFBP said: “To be able to do what we do we need a base to work from, and the donation from BMF has helped us achieve just that.
“We believe that having a bike can really help people, especially those who can’t afford a car and live in remote locations. With issues linked to increased car use, poor public transport, growing obesity and health problems, we want to help make it easier for people in our community to get about safely, whether it’s to do the shopping, getting to work or college, seeing friends and family, to get fit or just for fun – on a properly maintained bike.”
Tim Jobling, Trustee at BMF said: “Sport is important. It keeps us fit, happy, healthy and also helps us meet new people in the local area. When both organisations came to us for support we wanted to help as we feel both make such a difference to the New Forest area – including helping people enjoy sport but also in bringing the community together.”
Also benefitting from a £1,000 boost this year from BMF is Totton & Eling Youth Football Club. The club is not-for-profit and has launched a new branch to the club called the T&E Tigers who train every Saturday.
The training session is for boys and girls between the ages of four to eight years old and aims to give the children an introduction to football, as well as getting them exercising outside.
The donation from BMF has helped kick-start the new sessions and has so far bought equipment for training, and banners to surround the training pitch. Most importantly, the donation is contributing to the training for young coaches from the Totton and Eling team who will run the sessions.
Mark Jones, coach at Totton and Eling Football Club said: “We’re very pleased that we’ve been able to start these new classes for the little ones. The sessions started on the 6th August and we’re hoping that they’ll grow; we can then get more coaches trained up and hold more sessions.
“We’re grateful to BMF for giving us the cash boost we needed to get these sessions up and running. Hopefully we can welcome lots of little tigers to the T&E Tigers team!”
To donate to NFBP please visit http://www.newforestbikeproject.org/ and to support Totton & Eling Football Club please visit: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/tottonelingfc