Cash For Kids Sports Challenge battle sees £80K boost for Teesside Clubs

Ten Teesside sports clubs have bagged a share of £82,015 thanks to a special challenge organised in partnership with TFM Cash for Kids and Tees Valley Community Foundation.

The Sports Challenge offered ten local group the chance to raise thousands of pounds for new equipment, facilities, kit or whatever they need and they were given a three week period to raise as much funds as possible.

All of the money raised by each group was then matched up to the value of £2500 and granted back to each club by Tees Valley Community Foundation and Cash for Kids. The group who raised the most would receive £5000 in matched funding and additional pots of funding were also awarded for four special awards.

All of the groups gathered together for a special presentation evening at Middlesbrough Football Club on Thursday 2 November hosted by TFM breakfast presenters Steve and Karen for the highly anticipated results as none of the clubs knew what each other had raised.

Stainsby Gymnastics were the Sports Challenge winners, who walked away with a cheque for £17,131.30 after organising a wide range of fundraising activities including a talent show, sleepovers, bouncathon, sponsored silence and received lots of corporate support too. ?? from Stainsby Gymnastics said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have won the £5000 match funding. Our members have loved being a part of this challenge, they’ve really got stuck in and worked as a team and we plan on spending the money on……..”

The Best Creative Fundraising Award went to Hartlepool Hawks for their 12 hour cheerathon and they were awarded a total of £9711.52. Best Team Work Award went to Loftus Dolphins for their Swim the Tees Challenge and they were awarded a total of £9102.50. Best Social Engagement Award went to Gym Mad for their facebook live video which got 6,000 views and a 22,000 share, and they left with funding of £8683.25. The final award of Best PR went to Hartlepool Youth Athletics and they were awarded a total of £7236.04.

Other groups who took part in the challenge and received matched funding were Tees Valley Gymnastics (9605.46), Firebird gymnastics (5986.45), Cleveland Juniors (£5792), Riverside Junior Whites (5520) and Boro Rangers (£3246.48)

Hugh McGouran from Tees Valley Community Foundation said: “The Sports Challenge has been a tremendous success, both in identifying hard-working local sports clubs in this region and in galvanizing and supporting their fundraising potential. Each of the Clubs has worked exceptionally hard and they deserve to receive the match funding. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Cash for Kids and can announce that the Sports Challenge will return in 2018 as well as an additional Summer Challenge too.”

Amiee Littlefair, Cash for Kids Charity Manager, said: “The partnership with Tees Valley Community Foundation and Cash for Kids has lasted for five years now and has granted out a total of £198,631 in the Teesside region. The impact that funding has had on local children is immeasurable and will have lasting benefits for future generations. Well done to all of the groups who took part in the Sports Challenge, we are overwhelmed by your enthusiasm and dedication and we hope the funding helps even more children to reach their potential.