The Japan Arts Centre judo group – used by almost 200 members – was struggling to subsidise entry fees, cover training costs and pay for transport to competitions.
But after a “lifesaving” grant from Flutter UKI’s ‘Cash4Clubs’ funding, the vital club has been able to keep providing its important services in one of the most deprived areas of the country.
Now a new round of Cash4Clubs grants - like the one that helped Japan Arts Centre -are available to other groups in the Bristol area if they apply before December 12.
Sports clubs and organisations can apply for £400,000 worth of free grants to help with their community work.
The grant of £2,000 has helped the Judo club to pay for entry fees and travel to competitions, continue funding coaches and afford the club clothes and kit for its members.
Organisers say the funding has been so important that it has allowed them to add an extra 40 members to the judo club, based in Faithspace, in Prewett Street – meaning participants have gone from 145 to 185 in this year alone.
Additionally, it also helped to fund an inspiring visit to the club from Bristol based Team GB Olympic judo starlet Lele Nairne, who appeared in Paris this year.
Jo Hunt, coach and treasurer at the Japan Arts Centre, said: “It’s hard to overstate how important this Cash4Clubs grant has been to our existence.
“It has been lifesaving, frankly, helping us buy kit, subsidise entry fees to those who can’t afford it, buy hoodies, pay for coach training – all the things you need to keep a judo club running.
“We have a particular challenge with our club in that we are in an area that is number one in the UK for social deprivation, so we are having to think of constant ways to help others afford something that at other places may be unaffordable.
“The grant has really kept us going and on top of that, we’ve even been able to add 40 new participants and even invite Olympian Lele down to the club.”
Speaking about Olympian Lele’s visit earlier this month, Jo said: “It was truly inspiring for everyone at Japan Arts, from the young people to the old. Seeing an Olympian in real life, getting tips from her, seeing her skills up close has really given everyone here a boost. We just hope it can inspire others to follow in her footsteps.”
A spokesperson for Flutter UKI said: “We know that Cash4Clubs can play an important part in helping at the grassroots level – great stories such as Japan Arts Centre Judo Club show the power the programme can have by enabling small clubs to play an even bigger role in their community.
“There are real benefits to encouraging people to try out a sport or exercise a bit more and we hope this year’s funding will make a real difference.”
The Judo club opened 1987, when Jo began a youth judo class and prides itself on having participants from 20 different ethnicities. The goal for the club is to eventually own their own space in the area.
Japan Arts Centre now runs unique new girl-only classes for Muslim women as well as specialised groups for young people who are at risk from lives of crime.
In 1987, Jo started a Junior Judo Club in the Vaughan Leisure Centre in Clifton, Bristol.
In 1989, the club moved to the Japan Arts Centre in Jacob Wells Rd in Clifton, which remained home until 2014 when the centre was sold.
After three years at the Templegate Judo they were forced to move again when the premises was demolished.
In 2021, the club - a member of the British Judo Association - moved to its current home in Faithspace.
Betting and gaming group Flutter UKI funds the Cash4Clubs initiative and is extending the deadline to December 12 due to the sheer number of grassroots clubs that have already submitted bids for 2024.
Cash4Clubs awards 200 community organisations £2,000 worth of funding to help drive participation in sports and wellbeing, improve facilities and run coaching programmes.
Since the initiative was launched in 2008, nearly £6 million has been invested into community sports by Flutter UKI through its brands, which include Betfair, Paddy Power, Sky Betting & Gaming and tombola.
Last year, 40,000 people across 50 different sports benefitted from the Cash4Clubs fund. Almost 85% of those clubs funded were from lower socio-economic groups.
Applications for the current round of funding close on December 14. Applications can be made at https://cash-4-clubs.com/