The Community Kit Room (CKR) initiative run by Aneurin Leisure Trust’s sports development team, has gone from strength to strength since its launch in February 2022 at Abertillery sports centre, with the key objective to ‘make sport accessible for all’.
The CKR won the StreetGames South Wales Mental Health & Wellbeing Award in September 2023 and was runner-up in the Community Impact Award at the recent BASIS Sustainable Sports Awards held at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, on Thursday, 26th September.
Building on this success, and with support from local organisations and partners, the sports development team has recently refurbished an old storage room at Tredegar sports centre, creating a second CKR where members of the community across Blaenau Gwent have the opportunity to acquire free sportswear to begin or maintain their journey in health, sport and fitness.
Blaenau Gwent Councillor Chris Smith said:
“It was a pleasure to officially open the second CKR in Blaenau Gwent and hear that the initiative has supported over 300 people of different ages and abilities to-date.
“The second community kit room will create even more opportunities for Blaenau Gwent residents to view and select new and pre-owned sportswear and it was great to learn and understand the team’s aspirations as they look forward, continuing to work with local partners to further develop and grow the initiative for the future.”
Assistant Team Leader of Blaenau Gwent’s Waste Compliance and Development team, Robert Lewis added:
“Following the growth of the CKR over the last 20 months, it’s been great to support the team with the opening of the second CKR at Tredegar, and supplying additional donation bins to be located at sports settings and schools. This will increase the sustainability of the initiative, and the recycling rate within Blaenau Gwent.”
Simon Williams, Tredegar sports centre manager said; “The team has worked incredibly hard over the last 6 weeks to achieve such a transformation. The CKR is a fantastic addition to the centre and enables us to be able to help and support members, visitors and the general public with any sportswear queries or issues.
“It really is a great example of Aneurin Leisure Trust’s mission of ‘improving community life’.”
The recognition of the CKR is a true reflection of the impact this initiative has had on both society and the environment in such a short space of time. The sports development team is delighted to share their learnings with other local authorities such as Torfaen and Pembrokeshire who are looking to adopt the same initiative to help and support individuals in their area.
Aneurin Leisure Trust is a not-for-profit organisation working to find innovative solutions to the barriers facing sport and physical activity participation, and to inspire others across South Wales and beyond to support such issues.
