Nearly 100 grassroots sports clubs in Wales are celebrating a combined £1.7m worth of grants awarded by Sport Wales which will be invested in energy saving improvements such as solar panels and insulation upgrades.
With lower energy bills, clubs become more financially sustainable whilst also doing their bit for the environment.
Seventy clubs that have been awarded funding this year will use it to install solar panels at their premises, and for three clubs that already have solar panels, the grants will enable them to purchase storage batteries – meaning they can store excess energy to use when they need it most.
Llandrindod Wells Bowling Club. (Image: Archive.) Other grants will be used to fund heating and hot water upgrades, improved insulation, and sustainable water sourcing and recycling.
Brian Davies, chief executive of Sport Wales said: “We know that rising energy bills can impact clubs in a really significant way, and the knock-on effects of this can mean increased costs for participants.
“Over the last two years, £3.1m worth of Energy Saving Grants have now benefited a total of 175 sports clubs.
“Rising energy bills are threatening the very existence of some clubs, so we’re thrilled to help protect their future so that they can continue offering vital services to people in their local communities.
“Enabling clubs in Wales to improve their sustainability will also go a long way to lessening the impact of sport in Wales on climate change and the environment.”
The Energy Saving Grants have been made possible thanks to a total £8m worth of capital funding for 2024-25 which has been allocated to Sport Wales by the Welsh Government.
Welsh Government Minister for Sport, Jack Sargeant, said: “Funding the Energy Saving Grants demonstrates how we are delivering our Programme for Government commitments to invest in sports facilities and support grassroots clubs.
“It’s an investment in our clubs’ long-term futures, which is in turn an investment in providing inclusive, accessible and sustainable opportunities for people across Wales to enjoy both the physical and mental health benefits of sport.”
Llandrindod Wells Bowling Club will use £21,130 to upgrade its existing lights with LEDs and install solar panels on the clubhouse, which will considerably offset the current energy usage of the club.
£20,526 will be used at Newtown’s St Giles Golf Club to install solar panels and LED lighting at the clubhouse.
Brecon RFC will install solar panels onto its clubhouse roof thanks to a grant of £18,727 while Cradoc Golf Club has been awarded £17,760 to install a new, energy-efficient heating system on the premises.
To help combat rising energy bills, Presteigne St Andrews FC will use £15,798 of funding to install solar panels on their clubhouse.
At Presteigne Bowling Club’s clubhouse, £13,065 will be used to replace existing lighting with LEDs and to install solar panels.
Newtown Tennis Club’s clubhouse is a wood building with no heating. With £2,866 of funding, they will replace the existing windows and doors to improve the building’s temperature and reduce their need for electric space heaters.
£2,154 will be used at Welshpool Cricket Club to improve its current inefficient heating system with four energy-efficient electric heaters.
