Walking Basketball (WBUK) have announced a joint partnership with the National Governing Body of Basketball, Basketball England. The initial £5,000 investment is to help grow Walking Basketball sessions nationally for Inactive Over 50’s, which will increase the participation numbers generally for basketball via Sport England. Here's what WBUK Project Director, Bridget Hayward had to say on the history and future of this partnership:
WBUK was founded in 2013, after an initial investment of £300 from England Basketball via their Ball Again project. An informal partnership was formed and since that date we have been working with Basketball England to formalise an official partnership. We are very grateful to Basketball England Delivery Director, David Butler for all his hard work and time to bring this to fruition.
In 2015 the BBL Foundation funded a number of Walking Basketball sessions in partnership with BBL Clubs. Based on recent communications received by Basketball England and WBUK, since this announcement, we are glad to see many are still going.
WBUK would like to stress that since our last Event at Crystal Palace in 2016, we have been working diligently alongside Basketball England to obtain major funding for greater national activity. Unfortunately after 12 months of many meetings and consultations, a joint funding bid in 2017 to Sport England was rejected. This put WBUK plans for the growth of the activity back substantially and was very disappointing. The partnership with Basketball England will deliver on the following key outcomes to help us grow Walking Basketball across the country.
Standard set of Rules
Qualified referees
WBUK Activators course
National competition /Festivals
National funding
These outcomes will be achieved by focusing on targeting the following audiences:
Inactive Over 50’s
Obese - clinically overweight of all ages
Women and girls
Families
In the last three years we have attracted funding, albeit local, for all of our target areas. However our major objective is to obtain national funding to get our infrastructure in place and be in a position to fund, facilitate and/or develop more Walking Basketball sessions across the country.
To this end, we would like to ask that if anyone wishes to start a WBUK Walking Basketball session or currently run a Walking Basketball session and would like more information about the WBUK and Basketball England partnership funding please email or give us a call.
WBUK have associates across the country who can deliver WBUK Activators courses and provide you with details of funding applications that have been successful for Walking Basketball activities in the past in your area.
For more information on Activator courses or how to contact WBUK, follow the links below:
