25. Supporting our game-changing grassroots volunteers
Next time you play the National Lottery, give yourself a pat on the back for supporting the thousands of dedicated volunteers who give up their free time to develop sport right across Wales.
Among their number is Tirion Thomas from Bala. She’s just 20 years old, yet is already a driving force in women’s rugby.
At 18, she stepped up to coach her team at Bala Rugby Club. Since then, her dedication has seen the female section explode from one single team to five. Watch Tirion receive the 2020 BBC Sport Wales Unsung Hero award.
The club has received eight National Lottery grants, the majority from Sport Wales, which add up to £95,475. The grants have paid for facility improvements, equipment and, crucially in Tirion’s story, coach education courses.
26. Creating environments for athletes to thrive
They are the team behind the team. The Sport Wales Institute Team, based at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff, use their expertise in sports science and medicine to support Welsh sport governing bodies to develop athletes as well-rounded people and performers.
Funded entirely by The National Lottery, their focus is on supporting sports to create positive sporting environments, as well as looking after athlete health and wellbeing and optimising their athletic development. They believe in a person-centred approach, which takes into account what each individual needs to thrive both as an athlete and as a person.
An example of this person-centred approach is the ground-breaking work being done with elite coaches and support staff to educate them about the impact of the menstrual cycle on female athletes. They’ve created four online e-modules that any sport and practitioner across Wales can access.
27. Ensuring equal access to swimming for diverse communities in Wales
The National Lottery is also helping to keep diverse communities safe in the water.
The Black Swimming Association works to ensure that people of African, Caribbean and Asian heritage have equal and equitable access to aquatics and a safe experience in and around the water.
It started work in Wales in 2022, bringing its water familiarisation programme – Together We Can © – to communities in Cardiff and Swansea.
Steph Makuvise from BSA Wales says: “Through National Lottery funding, we have been able to bridge the gap between those that do not engage with aquatics and the endless opportunities to do so within the sector. The BSA has also been able to support young people in developing positive relationships with water through opportunities to enjoy swimming, rowing, canoeing and much more.”
