Small Business Grant Scheme

We are writing in case you are unaware of this scheme, under which clubs are potentially entitled to a £10,000 grant. The basic requirement is to be in England and in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief (NB not to actually pay any rates). Please see the link below in particular items 6 & 11.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/878082/small-business-grant-and-retail-leisure-hospitality-grant-guidance-for-businesses-v2.pdf

In theory, if you are eligible, you should not need to do anything to claim the grant and it should be forthcoming from your Local Authority (items 3 & 5). However it is obviously important that you are aware of the scheme should this not prove to be the case.

We are aware of one club which has already received £10,000 from this scheme. Please note that the Small Business Grant Scheme is entirely separate to the Business Rate Relief Scheme announced in the March budget. Clubs with a property with a rateable value should be aware of both schemes

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-your-retail-hospitality-or-leisure-business-is-eligible-for-business-rates-relief-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19

Best wishes,
Mark.

-- 
Mark Suter
Manager
Croquet Association
01242 242318
www.croquet.org.uk

Grants

Sport England, through its Club Matters website, has issued a useful tool to help Sports Clubs through this Coronavirus crisis.

Sport England, is making up to £195 million of funding available to help the sport and physical activity sector through the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.

The package includes a £20 million Community Emergency Fund, which is now open for all clubs and community organisations to bid into. Grants between £300 and £10,000 are available.

The fund has been developed to help organisations meet their obligations, in particular fixed costs, which are no longer supported with revenue as a result of coronavirus, such as rent, utility costs, insurance, core staff costs, and facility or equipment hire.

Wales has announced a similar scheme.

Lawn Management

The CA has been surveying clubs on their lawn maintenance problems and is aware of the many concerns that clubs have during this lockdown period. We have been seeking specific assurance that lawn maintenance is permitted, providing the government’s guidelines on safe working are followed and we are pleased to report that we received the following clarification on April 1st from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Subject: Re: Essential maintenance of sports turf during lockdown

“Thank you so much for getting in contact – you have come to the right place. We are aware of these issues and are seeking clarity where necessary. The public health guidance is of course subject to review, but I can be clear about some of your key questions. In short, contractors are indeed permitted to work – anyone who can’t perform their usual work at home, can travel to work. Volunteers are able to travel to clubs to perform these functions too, as without them, as you say, the facilities are at risk. Police should not be sending maintenance staff home as they are performing their work, in the only place that it can be done. I believe the police are reviewing their guidance at present so the latter issue may lessen soon.”

The Institute of Groundmanship (IoG) will be issuing some specific advice on how to manage croquet courts with fewer resources than usual and how to bring them back to playing standard later in the year. This will be circulated as soon as we receive it.

Virtual Croquet

The Victorian Croquet Association recently posted a game of virtual croquet

Brookwood Croquet 3D virtual AC or GC croquet, even during lockdown! To all owners of Brookwood Croquet programs please note that these games can now be played over the internet whilst Covid 19 movement restrictions are in place and into the future. Please refer to the page on ‘Playing on the Internet’ for details of how it can be done.

Keep Safe everyone

Roger Staples

Chairman Executive Board

Coronavirus – Sport England Emergency Fund & Lawn Management

Grants

Sport England, through its Club Matters website, has issued a useful tool https://www.sportenglandclubmatters.com/ to help Sports Clubs through this Coronavirus crisis.

Sport England, is making up to £195 million of funding available to help the sport and physical activity sector through the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. The package includes a £20 million Community Emergency Fund (https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/our-funds/community-emergency- fund), which is now open for all clubs and community organisations to bid into. Grants between £300 and £10,000 are available.

The fund has been developed to help organisations meet their obligations, in particular fixed costs, which are no longer supported with revenue as a result of coronavirus, such as rent, utility costs, insurance, core staff costs, and facility or equipment hire.

Wales is yet to announce a similar scheme.

Lawn Management

The CA has been surveying clubs on their lawn maintenance problems and is aware of the many concerns that clubs have during this lockdown period. We have been seeking specific assurance that lawn maintenance is permitted, providing the government’s guidelines on safe working are followed and we are pleased to report that we received the following clarification on April 1st from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Subject: Re: Essential maintenance of sports turf during lockdown

“Thank you so much for getting in contact – you have come to the right place. We are aware of these issues and are seeking clarity where necessary. The public health guidance is of course subject to review, but I can be clear about some of your key questions. In short, contractors are indeed permitted to work – anyone who can’t perform their usual work at home, can travel to work. Volunteers are able to travel to clubs to perform these functions too, as without them, as you say, the facilities are at risk. Police should not be sending maintenance staff home as they are performing their work, in the only place that it can be done. I believe the police are reviewing their guidance at present so the latter issue may lessen soon.”

The Institute of Groundmanship (IoG) will be issuing some specific advice on how to manage croquet courts with fewer resources than usual and how to bring them back to playing standard later in the year. This will be circulated as soon as we receive it.