We are proud to announce that we have secured a unique grant of £157,687 from the CAF Resilience Fund, which aims to help the people and causes hardest hit by Covid-19.

These vital funds will go towards rebuilding and growing the uniquely accessible sport of boccia in the wake of the pandemic, making a difference to the lives of thousands of disabled people across England. Funds will be used in a variety of ways, including support for the mental wellbeing of athletes and volunteers, provision of resources for delivery partners, and engagement of more women and girls in competitive boccia.

The funding for the CAF Resilience Fund was provided by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Community Match Challenge funding scheme, part of the Government’s £750 million coronavirus support package for charities. The matched funding was provided by the Covid-19 Support Fund created by the insurance and long-term savings industry.

In late 2020 and early 2021, the first phase of the CAF Resilience Fund provided rapid relief to 645 charities in England to help them survive the initial shock of the pandemic and resulting lockdowns

For this second phase, CAF identified organisations working with those communities hardest hit by the effects of the pandemic. These organisations include those helping people living with disabilities; Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities; and young people in need of new training and skills in order to give them the best possible life chances. This phase, totalling £20 million, is designed to help charities move beyond survival and help them adapt and rebuild so they are able to look to the future and thrive.

Yvonne Braun, Executive Lead for the Covid-19 Support Fund and Director of Policy, Long-Term Savings and Protection at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said:

“Since the start of the pandemic, charities and communities throughout the UK have come together to support those most in need. We are thrilled that through the partnership between the Covid-19 Support Fund, CAF and the DCMS Community Match Challenge, that the insurance and long-term savings industry has been able to support the work of Boccia England so that they can continue their vital work.”

Monica Brown from the Charities Aid Foundation said:

“In delivering the CAF Resilience Fund, we have been both humbled and inspired by the work that is happening on the ground in our local communities. We are proud to partner with both the Government and the Covid-19 Support Fund to provide this unique support for some of our country’s most vulnerable communities. Congratulations to Boccia England and our sincere thanks for all that you are doing.”

 

Chris Ratcliffe, Chief Executive of Boccia England, said:

“We are very grateful to accept this key piece of grant funding to help us support our community as we rebuild from the pandemic. This funding is a vote of confidence in our work, our purpose and our determination to improve the lives of the disabled people we exist to support.”