West of England Sport Trust (Wesport)

Quick Stats

• Annual Income: Primarily funded through government grants
• Grant Range: £300 - £25,000 (depending on programme)
• Geographic Focus: Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire (West of England)
• Application Method: Fixed deadlines (programme-specific)
• Organisation Type: Active Partnership (County Sport Partnership)

Contact Details

Address: The Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2QQ

Phone: 01173286250

Email: info@wesport.org.uk

Website: www.wesport.org.uk

Social Media: Follow @wesportap on X (formerly Twitter) for funding updates and opportunities shared through Partners Bulletin

Overview

The West of England Sport Trust (Wesport), established as charity number 1114495, is the Active Partnership for the West of England region. As part of the national Active Partnership Network, Wesport serves as the strategic lead for sport and physical activity across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. The organisation's mission is “Inspiring People, Empowering Organisations and Creating Opportunities through Sport and Physical Activity.”

Wesport operates primarily through partnerships, managing and distributing grant programmes funded by government bodies, Sport England, NHS, and police services. The organisation is primarily funded through government grants and administers multiple grant programmes targeting community groups, local clubs, and grassroots organisations delivering physical activity opportunities that boost health and wellbeing, with particular focus on addressing health inequalities and supporting young people at risk.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund

• Grant Range: £300 - £5,000
• Total Fund: £70,000 annually across Avon and Somerset
• Focus: Projects using sport and physical activity to reduce violence, crime and anti-social behaviour
• Target Beneficiaries: Young people up to age 25
• Partnership: Managed jointly with Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership (SASP) and funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
• Application Method: Fixed deadline (annual funding cycle, typically opening mid-year)
• Recent Impact: Multiple organisations funded in recent cycles (18 organisations in one recent cycle; 10 projects supported in 2021)

Green Social Prescribing Grants Scheme

• Grant Range: Up to £25,000
• Total Programme: £500,000 over two years
• Focus: Establishing health and nature connections across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG)
• Priority: Residents with poorest access to nature and poorest mental health outcomes
• Requirements: Must demonstrate impact on mental health and links to health referral pathways
• Partnership: Funded by 'Healthier Together' local health system partnership; Wesport appointed to manage grants process
• Application Method: Multiple funding rounds throughout the programme period

Priority Areas

• Sport and physical activity programmes targeting young people at risk of involvement in crime or violence
• Projects addressing health inequalities through physical activity
• Nature-based interventions supporting mental health
• Programmes engaging residents with limited access to green spaces
• Community-led physical activity initiatives in the four West of England unitary authorities
• Projects demonstrating connections between sport, health, and social outcomes
• Interventions considering young people's whole environment and tailored to target populations

What They Don't Fund

• Projects outside the West of England region (Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire)
• Applications from organisations not working in the specified geographic area
• Projects not using sport or physical activity as a delivery mechanism
• For Crime Prevention Fund: programmes not targeting young people up to age 25
• For Green Social Prescribing: projects without demonstrated links to health referral pathways

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Governance and Leadership

Wesport operates with trustees who receive no remuneration, maintaining independence while partnering with key stakeholders including:

• University of the West of England
• Avon and Somerset Police
• Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership (SASP)
• Healthier Together health system partnership
• Sport England
• Local unitary authorities across the West of England

The organisation's governance structure emphasises partnership working, with funding decisions made through collaboration with funding partners and project boards specific to each grant programme.

How to Apply to West Of England Sport Trust (wesport)

How to Apply

Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund:

• Download application form and guidance document from Wesport website
• Complete application demonstrating how sport/physical activity will reduce violence, crime, or anti-social behaviour
• Specify target priority areas within Avon and Somerset
• Submit by published deadline
• Applications typically open mid-year for following delivery period

Green Social Prescribing Grants:

• Applications open for specific funding rounds with fixed deadlines
• Complete online application form available on Wesport website
• Demonstrate impact on mental health outcomes
• Show clear links to health referral pathways
• Maximum grant request: £25,000
• Multiple funding rounds occur during the programme period

General Funding Information:

• Wesport shares short-term funding opportunities through social media (@wesportap) and Partners Bulletin
• Visit wesport.org.uk/funding/ for current opportunities
• All programmes have monitoring and evaluation requirements

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines vary by programme:

• Applications typically close several months before project delivery commences
• Crime Prevention Fund: Annual funding cycle with mid-year deadlines
• Green Social Prescribing: Approximately 4-week application windows for each round
• Successful applicants notified before project start dates

Success Rates

For Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund, recent cycles have funded multiple organisations from the £70,000 total pot. Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed.

For Green Social Prescribing, the £500,000 total fund is distributed over multiple rounds across two years. Specific success rates are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not explicitly documented on public materials. Given the time-limited nature of both major programmes, organisations can likely reapply in subsequent funding cycles. Contact Wesport directly for specific guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Demonstrated Impact on Priority Groups

Both major programmes prioritise projects serving specific populations facing inequalities:

• Crime Prevention Fund focuses on young people up to age 25 in areas with higher violence/crime rates
• Green Social Prescribing targets residents with poorest access to nature and poorest mental health outcomes
• Applications must clearly articulate how they reach and support these priority groups

Strong Partnership and Referral Pathways

• Green Social Prescribing grants require demonstrated “links to health referral pathways”
• Projects should show connections to health professionals, social prescribers, and community organisations
• Partnership working is central to Wesport's model—applications demonstrating collaborative approaches align with their values

Evidence of Structured Interventions

For Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund, applications must show:

• “Structure of their interventions are considered around the people they aim to target”
• Consideration of "that young person's whole environment"
• Clear theory of change showing how sport/physical activity will reduce violence, crime, or anti-social behaviour

Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity

• Both programmes require monitoring and evaluation
• Applications should demonstrate capacity to measure outcomes and report impact
• Green Social Prescribing specifically requires demonstration of “impact on mental health”

Geographic Targeting

• Applications must clearly specify work in priority areas within the West of England region
• Crime Prevention Fund identifies specific priority areas across the unitary authorities
• Projects should demonstrate understanding of local context and needs

Use of Sport in Broadest Sense

Crime Prevention Fund materials note: “Applications that use sport in its widest sense including traditional, informal sports and activities will be considered and encouraged to apply.” This suggests openness to creative approaches beyond traditional sport.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Wesport is a grant distributor, not a primary funder: They manage application processes for programmes funded by government, police, NHS, and other partners. This means their funding availability depends on external partnerships.

• Focus on inequality: Both major programmes prioritise reaching underserved populations—young people at risk of violence and residents with poor access to nature/poor mental health. Applications must demonstrate focus on inequality.

• Partnership is essential: As an Active Partnership themselves, Wesport values collaborative approaches. Show strong partnerships with health services, community organisations, and referral networks.

• Fixed deadlines with advance planning: Programmes operate on annual or multi-round cycles with firm deadlines. Monitor Wesport's social media and Partners Bulletin for announcements about upcoming funding rounds.

• Modest grant sizes: Maximum grants range from £5,000 (Crime Prevention) to £25,000 (Green Social Prescribing). Ensure your project budget is realistic for these levels.

• Geographic specificity matters: All programmes target the West of England region (Bristol, Bath & NES, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, and sometimes Somerset). Clearly demonstrate local focus and understanding of area-specific needs.

• Beyond direct grants: Wesport also provides information about other funding opportunities (Sport England Movement Fund, Quartet Community Foundation) making them a valuable resource hub for organisations in the region even when their direct grant programmes are closed.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Quartet Community Foundation
• The Avon And Somerset Police Community Trust
• The Portishead Nautical Trust
• John James Bristol Foundation
• The Nisbet Trust
• Spielman Charitable Trust
• St. John's Foundation Est. 1174
• Weston-super-mare Lions Club (cio)
• The Merchant Venturers Charity
• The Ralph And Irma Sperring Charity

References

• Charity Commission Register: West of England Sport Trust (Charity No. 1114495), accessed via https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/4023726
• Wesport Funding Page: http://wesport.org.uk/funding/
• Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund: https://www.wesport.org.uk/crime-prevention-through-sport-fund-24-25/
• Green Social Prescribing Grants: https://www.wesport.org.uk/news/green-social-prescribing-project-grants-scheme/
• Avon & Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership: https://asvrp.co.uk/the-crime-prevention-through-sport-fund/
• Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership: https://www.sasp.co.uk/crime-prevention-fund
• Wesport Main Website: www.wesport.org.uk
• Companies House: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/05794916