Accelerating grassroots sport towards environmental and financial sustainability

Grassroots sport is vital.

Participation in sport, recreation and physical activity contributes £85bn annually in improved health, community cohesion and economic growth to the UK.

Yet grassroots sport and our community clubs face a dual sustainability crisis.

Climate and Financial.

Climate change is a threat to participation.

60%

of Brits say sport activity has been restricted by weather*

40%

of grassroots clubs say that events are being affected by weather *

120k

local football games are lost to weather incidents annually**

*Sport England Activity Check-in Report
** The Football Association estimates

Chris Boardman
Chair, Sport England

"Extreme weather is increasingly making it difficult for us to live healthy, active lives by creating a ‘doom loop’ where people become less motivated, and more fearful of injury with sporting opportunities increasingly cancelled and disrupted."

Financial challenges

Clubs are already dealing with soaring running costs largely due to energy prices. Furthermore, the cost of living crisis has made it harder to keep hold of paying members.

The climate threat to participation and membership levels serves to compound the financial pressures already bearing down on grassroots sports - making it increasingly hard to address.

Businesses: Grassroots clubs need your help!

National funding bodies are stepping up with support. Sport England’s first-ever environmental sustainability strategy, Every Move, which includes major new investment, is setting out to help the sector respond to climate change.

But grassroots clubs need more help to get there.

80%

grassroots clubs are environmentally ambitious

55%

cite lack of funds as major barrier

59%

want more funding support

All above statistics according to Sport England consultation

Tanni Grey-Thompson
Laureus Academy Member

"Grassroots sports are the foundation of our communities, fostering health, inclusion, and development. If we want future generations to benefit, we must make them sustainable — protecting the environment while ensuring access and opportunity for all."

Get Fit For Funding.

Get Fit For Funding offers a groundbreaking sponsorship solution for grassroots sport clubs, brands that sponsor sports and sports membership bodies.

Underpinned by Zellar’s proven digital sustainability coaching platform, Get Fit For Funding provides the tools, resources, and guidance at club level to enhance sustainability performance and reduce costs.

Clubs can access increased funding, reduced costs, improved sustainability, enhanced facilities, and boosted participation.

Brands can benefit from a strong ESG profile, deeper consumer connections, new market opportunities, and access to authentic community impact data.

Sports governing bodies can demonstrate leadership in sustainability, make informed decisions, and elevate their reputation.

By investing in Get Fit For Funding, you can help create a more sustainable and thriving future for grassroots sports.

Gary Styles
Founder and CEO, Zellar

"If a mere 2% of the annual sponsorship investment in the UK was focused on environmental issues it would match Sport England’s environmental commitment, help galvanise the power of our community clubs and deliver greater brand impact for businesses willing to make a stand."

"We've funded Zellar licences for 850 grassroots music venues. Helping smaller venues reduce their utility bills, all while promoting sustainability. We hope to expand it across retail, sports and gaming in the UK, and internationally."

Paul Hiskens
Head of Partnerships, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

We deliver sustainability programmes at scale

Zellar
+ Biffa

Helping Biffa’s 100,000 SME customers tackle their carbon footprint.

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+ Water Plus

Helping 360,000 customers save £320m and 265,000 tonnes of CO2

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+ Co-op Bank

Official sustainability partner for The Co-operative Bank, the UK’s most ethical bank.

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Find out more today

Launch your Get Fit For Funding Programme

Book a meeting with Zellar to discuss how your brand or sports organisation can partner with Zellar to deliver a Get Fit For Funding programme across your sporting community.

For the benefit of this generation and those to come.