A steering group of local parents decide on which activities would bring the participants the most benefit, which ranges from boxing lessons to outdoor activity days in the nearby Hatfield Moors.

A group of parents and young people gather to take part in a boxing activity

Stainforth has a proud mining heritage and the community experienced high levels of job losses and economic issues when the coal mining industry was wiped out in the 1970’s and 1980’s. This fallout of the loss of the mining industry has been felt in many areas, including a lack of regeneration in the village which has left young people without activities to take part in.

Sport for Good CIC who established the Stainforth Outdoor Activity Project work with younger people in the community to provide sports activities such as boxing, trampolining and football. However, this project came from a desire from parents to also take part in activities and reconnect with their community. The parents who first expressed a desire to take part in local activities formed a steering group and have full control over the project.

During Covid-19 lockdown restrictions the project had to adapt and due to the commitment of the steering group some activities were able to continue. The project was able to invest in digital resources to film high quality boxing lessons which participants could join from their own homes.

The collective control element of this project has been really effective and has enabled it to keep going throughout Covid-19. I’ve been really impressed by how the parents in the steering group have taken responsibility to adapt the project to the Covid-19 restrictions and the needs of the community.

Shaun Ireland

Operations Director

Funded by People’s Health Trust using money raised through Health Lottery Yorkshire and Humber