Following the release of further funding by Sport England, British Equestrian is opening applications for the Together Fund in an effort to support riding centres still suffering the effects of COVID-19.

A total of £175,000 has been made available by Sport England, with equestrian centres, community groups and targeted organisations able to bid for small grants to the British Equestrian Together Fund. The money is intended to support growth and engagement in physical activity of those participant groups most affected by the events of COVID-19. This includes people from lower socio-economic groups, people with long-term health conditions, culturally diverse communities, and those with disabilities.

British Equestrian’s Head of Participation, Mandana Mehran Pour, has commented, ‘We are very grateful to Sport England for providing British Equestrian with further funding so we can support Equestrian Centres to grow and recover from the pandemic. Our hope is that the Together Fund will enable people from those communities most impacted by COVID-19 to enjoy the immense benefits of riding and being around horses.’

The Together Fund follows the success of the Tackling Inequalities fund, set up in April 2020, which provided funding to centres affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s designed to enable further recovery and growth of organisations up until March 2023.

Applications for the fund are open and should be completed as soon as possible, with all projects to be completed by March 2023. More information and guidance on eligibility are available in a guidance document, which includes a link to the online application form. Please contact Jemima Morris at togetherfund@bef.co.uk for any further information or queries.