09-08-2025
Free safeguarding and welfare support available to sports clubs
Free support around welfare, safeguarding and promoting well-being is now available to sports clubs and organisations.
The service, offered across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, ensures that any club can access guidance when it comes to the creation of positive environments and ensuring the welfare and safety of its members.
Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire, the strategic lead for sport and physical activity across the two counties, is delivering the Sport Welfare programme as part of the national Sport Welfare Network, which has been launched across all 43 Active Partnerships in England.
Emily Griffiths, sport welfare lead at Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said: "We want clubs and organisations delivering sports and physical activity to children, young people and adults across the county to know that we are here for them.
"Things such as general advice, support with policy and procedure, creating of resources and signposting to proper channels and training opportunities are all things we can support with.
"We are incredibly enthusiastic about the brilliant work in the sector that takes place across the counties, and this support is to help ensure that good work can continue in the best possible way."
The Sport Welfare programme offers specialist support directly to clubs, funding for training, and representation at national panels for governing bodies to share key information around welfare and safeguarding.
Stephen Brewster, chief executive officer at Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said: "We are proud of the support that we can offer through our Sport Welfare offer.
"Welfare and safeguarding are instrumental to the running of any successful group or organisation, and specialist advice is available to all operating in this space across both counties.
"We encourage clubs, governing bodies and organisations operating throughout the two counties to utilise the support."
Embedding the Sport Welfare Network was one of several actions Sport England and UK Sport committed to following the Whyte Review in 2022, which identified the need for stronger welfare and safeguarding practices in sport.
Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire also manages a range of other initiatives across the region, including the School Games and the This Girl Can campaign.
Clubs and organisations interested in accessing the Sport Welfare support can contact Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire by emailing activehw@ or by visiting the website.
