ClubWorks is a programme managed by London Sport and funded by the Mayor of London. It is designed to help support clubs and organisations develop in the capital, getting 1,000,000 Londoners more active by 2020.
Penge Cycle Club is a community-based and volunteer-run club who offer regular adults rides, training and events for all ages and abilities. We caught up with Louisa Harding, Club Secretary and Go-Ride Coach, who shared with us why Penge Cycle Club value being part of the ClubWorks programme.
Why did you join the ClubWorks programme?
In 2014, we had begun looking at our club strategy plan but lacked the stimulus and volunteers to get it rolling. Through our contacts at British Cycling, the opportunity to join ClubWorks presented itself and we had been looking for club advice, so ClubWorks seemed like a good programme to be a part of. We had our first meeting with our Relationship Officer and then continued to work on a very detailed action plan together.
What support services have you accessed through the programme?
By being part of the programme we have had access to workshops and invaluable advice. The workshops we found the most useful were ‘Grow Your Club’ and the ‘Funding and Small Grants Workshop’, these helped us increase our knowledge in these subject areas and since then, we have put what we learnt into practice.
Since joining the club, we have learned so much through attending workshops. Our membership numbers have increased greatly, and we believe that our club is more sustainable as our committee members are more engaged with our programmes such as Go-Ride. We have also held numerous events to bring the club together and our communication channels have gone from strength to strength as we have worked on our newsletter and social media.
What does the future look like for Penge Cycle Club?
We need to be ready for the next stage in our club growth as we are getting close to the limits of what we can ask from our volunteers. Our aims include bettering the cohesion for the whole club, continuing to develop our action plan and to consistently grow our membership numbers. We are excited to see what the future holds but some key decisions will have to be made in the next 12 months on how to manage the club’s rapid growth.
To find out more about the ClubWorks programme, sign up to our new ClubWorks newsletter.
About Clubworks
ClubWorks is aimed at community clubs and organisations, youth clubs, as well as traditional sports clubs, delivering in a London Borough. The work of the ClubWorks programme wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority. The support they provide allows us to help clubs and organisations to develop coaches and volunteers, attract new members and help secure funding for the future.
