UPTAKE for £1,000 grants to increase the number of women doing exercise has been non-existent in Radcliffe, disappointed organisers have revealed. 

The pioneering £2.38 million ‘I Will If You Will’ (IWIYW) pilot was launched by Sport England in the borough and officially began last September.

It aims to increase the number of women taking part in physical exercise and change female sporting habits across Bury.

A £25,000 cash boost was made available so organisations across the borough could apply for grants of up to £1,000 to host activities, hire facilities or just buy equipment.

But while thousands of pounds has been given out across the areas of Bury, Prestwich, Whitefield, Ramsbottom and North Manor, not one group in Radcliffe has applied for a share of the money.

At the Radcliffe Township Forum on September 18, Sean Gibson, community activator for I Will If You Will, issued a call for applications.

He said: “So far, I Will If You Will has given more than £30,000 to community groups across the borough but uptake in Radcliffe has been very poor.

“This is a bit of a plea for organisations to take advantage of this opportunity as we are struggling to find groups in Radcliffe which would like to get involved.

“The I Will If You Will pilot has so far reached more than 6,000 women. If anyone knows any organisations who would be interested, please urge them to apply.”

Currently 31 grants totalling £25,066 have been awarded, with another nine worth £9,000 currently waiting for consideration by the IWIYW decision panel.

More than £10,000 has been dished out for borough-wide activities – almost £7,000 for projects in Bury East; nearly £4,500 to groups in North Manor and Ramsbottom; £2,500 in Whitefield and Unsworth; and more than £8,000 in Prestwich.

The funding has paid for a range of sport and fitness activities as varied as tai chi, fencing, diving and yoga organised by sports clubs, charities, tenants and residents’ associations and other community groups.

The Radcliffe Times understands the initial £25,000 funding pot has been increased with the project, which was due to finish at the end of the month, likely to be extended.

Cllr James Daly, who represents North Manor ward, has criticised I Will If You Will organisers for failing to publicise the availability of the grants.

A spokesman for Bury Council said community engagement had taken place across the borough with just as much carried out in Radcliffe as in the other townships.

To apply for a grant: email s.gibson@bury.gov.uk; call Liz Saunders, programme support manager at Bury Council on 0161 253 6357; or go to iwillifyouwill.co.uk.