Double celebration for Leeds social enterprise

Leeds based social enterprise Sporting Heritage is celebrating receiving a funding grant as part of the government’s #HereforCulture campaign, alongside announcing Paralympian and World champion, Dame Sarah Storey DBE as the keynote speaker for their annual conference.

The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage has awarded Sporting Heritage £97,000 to support them to continue their work following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The grant will be used to support the growth of the organisation and to create a raft of digital and online resources to help members and the wider sporting heritage sector develop skills and knowledge, increase engagement including hosting virtual exhibitions, and develop an Educational Strategy to create digital resources for schools.

Dr Justine Reilly, Founding Director of Sporting Heritage says (pictured):
“We are absolutely thrilled to receive this funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund as it means we can continue to be here for our members and the wider sporting heritage sector. The UK’s Sporting Heritage is a fundamental part of our culture and we are passionate and determined to ensure that we can continue to engage with communities and organisations to share their sporting stories, memories and collections.”

The funding will also support free attendance to their upcoming annual Sporting Heritage Conference held on 22-23rd October. The two-day Conference is themed this year around resilience, sustainability, and diversity of the sporting heritage sector. Held online for the first time, the event will open with an address by Sporting Heritage Ambassador, Dame Sarah Storey DBE.

The World Champion and Paralympian said: “Sporting Heritage is important because of the inspiration we all get in remembering the past performances of our heroes. I’m an ambassador because I want to remember the journey our sports have been on, celebrate our success and build on the legacy created personally and by our wider sporting population.”

Justine adds: “Although we now are experiencing a time when physical participation and attendance is restricted for many, the role sport plays in our lives now and how it has historically brought people together from all different communities, ages and backgrounds, is something to be celebrated and remembered. This grant will enable us to continue our work, despite the challenges and restrictions of the pandemic, ensuring sporting heritage continues to culturally inspire our communities.”