A charity has warned that children in London are being costed out of sport and physical exercise.
New research by Sported, found that half the clubs and groups surveyed in the capital had found a reduction in participation levels by young people and that 60% had issues with affording activity costs and a similar number in affording clothing or kit.
Of the groups and clubs questioned, 98% said they were concerned about the impacts of the current economic pressures with more than two-thirds having seen a rise in costs for using their facilities.
Sported’s Pulse survey took place over a two-week period from the end of September to the beginning of October, and most questioned called on the government to make applying for funding easier and increasingly make school facilities available.
Sported deputy CEO Tom Burstow said: “We see a growing gap at present where grassroots groups in London are being hit financially by rising costs and with over half telling us that they have significantly dipped into their reserves.
“However, cost of living increases mean there is less spare cash for young people to participate even when fees have been reduced or made free.
“That not only puts the ecosystem of community sport at risk but also threatens to shut out our next generation from getting the brilliant support they get for their mental health and wellbeing by coming to these clubs, and the benefits society at large reaps from this activity.”
