1. Kewford Eagles journey demonstrates how a club through drive, determination and excellent planning can turn vision into reality
Case study produced in July 2013
Kewford Eagles
Kewford Eagles Football Club were awarded a huge grant of £800,000 from the Football Foundation, allowing the club to realise a dream 12 years in planning to develop 11 full-size football pitches, along with changing rooms, toilets and car parking on 30 acres of land that it is leasing next to Dudley Kingswinford Rugby Club in Wall Heath. The total cost of the project is around £1,076,560. Kewford Eagles has around 500 children, girls and boys playing for them including those with disabilities. 
‘We talked to other clubs who had achieved what we wanted to!’
‘None of the players subscriptions were used to fund the project’
Key success factors;
Consistent management committee with vision and drive to achieve
Developing the club in stages; accreditation, - corporate organisation – developing “big plan”
Utilising expertise to design and project manage the project
Seeking and gaining a range of funding
Challenges
Inconsistency of advice from organisations on application for funding or planning
Kewford Eagles were presented with the Queens Award For Voluntary Service in June 2012 – the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups
2007 – Lease agreement
1978
Formed one Under twelve team
2004
Achieved Junior Charter standard (20 teams)
2005
Achieved
Charter Standard Adult Club
2006
Achieved Charter Standard Community Club
2012
Forty Four Teams
2014
First game to be played
2010 –Planning permission
negotiations with FA and F.F.
2012 – January
F.F. Application made
2012 –June
F.F. Grant made
2012 August building work starts
2013 Building work completed
Developed for the Black Country BeActive Partnership by Sport Structures Limited

2. Warley Rugby Club is a rare rugby club in an inner-city area that provides a range of teams for all ages and both genders as well as partnering with other sports
Case study produced in July 2013
Warley Rugby Club
Formed 43 years ago in 1970, Warley Rugby Club is
a community club within an area of high deprivation and provides opportunities for local people to take part in sport. The club lease a former industrial sports ground, with rugby as the core club activity, but facilities for football, boxing, darts and bowling clubs also available for local teams. To continue their growth, the club is developing waste land next to the existing facilities into a floodlit all weather training area. Through another application to the Inspired Facilities grant they are also seeking to develop an old squash court on their site into a Boxing facility, in conjunction with Warley Boxing club. The club has built strong relationships with local schools and the local community, through the support of the RFU, which has aided the development of junior and women's sections.
The club is seeking to develop the local playing field where the club first started with the local authority
‘With the help of a number of partners we have managed to grow the club and its facilities but we don’t want to loose who we are’
Key success factors;
Committed and continuity of key members that have a balance of skills that have enabled steady growth
Strong partnership with local authority and governing body
Taking every opportunity to learn from others through runningsports workshops and network meetings
Challenges for the future
Maintaining continued growth
Attitude to sport locally in a Borough with the lowest participation in England
Poor media coverage locally
The “big plan” for the club is sustainability .
‘Many football teams don’t have a regular ground. We are an “in demand” place due to the way we look after the facilities’
My journey
1970
Formed using St John’s playing fields
2000
Moved to present Lease-hold site
2005
Seal of approval approved
2007
Women and youth sections
2012
Inspired facilities successful application
2013
First team achieved promotion with 52% from youth section
Developed for the Black Country BeActive Partnership by Sport Structures Limited

3. Using local tradesmen for the improvements to the venue
Walsall Gymnastics club moved to rent an industrial unit to enable them to deliver a range of gymnastics classes and activities
Case study produced in July 2013
Walsall Gymnastics Club
‘We moved from the leisure centre to gain control of our programme ’
The club was formed in the 1970’s and run a series of programme and activities hiring a leisure centre. However they were increasingly frustrated with the service they received and the times made available for them. So after looking at a range of industrial units they decided to move to Walsall. Following successful planning permission in 2009 they moved into the industrial unit and installed a range of fixed gymnastics equipment.
This gave them control over the use of the facility and they now open five nights a week and on both Saturday ad Sunday. Their members are very local and the philosophy of the club is to increase the number of boys and girls enjoying gymnastics.
A number of older teenage boys take part in gymnastic activity to develop their “free-running” activities.
Key success factors;
Committee prepared to make “big decision”
Passion for seeing children enjoy gymnastics
Challenges for the future
Reviewing planning permission to provide activities during the day
Gaining support for CASC status
and business advice
Fully integrate boys
into the club
‘The boys use gymnastics to improve their Free-running skills ’
“The rent of the unit is slightly more than hiring a leisure centre but we can leave our specialist equipment out all the time .”
“The Inspired facilities grant will enable us to build new changing room and spectator area for parents”
Using local tradesmen for the improvements to the venue
Formed in 1970’s
Hired local authority leisure centre
Identify industrial unit for hire of suitable size
Gain change of use planning permission
Make application for Sport England Inspired facilities
Developed for the Black Country BeActive Partnership by Sport Structures Limited

4. Informal swimming at Wolverhampton Central baths
Wolverhampton Central Baths is a Local authority run facility which has a got a clear customer focused offer for informal swimming participation.
Case study produced in August 2013
Informal swimming at Wolverhampton Central baths
Swimming in a swimming club is not the only way people participate in sustained sporting activity. Although having a very successful swimming club running out their facility, Wolverhampton Central Baths key success is it ‘s ability to offer affordable cost effective informal swimming. As a result they have over 8,000 visits per month of casual swimmers a alone. Staff estimate that regulars make up anything from 65% to 100% of each swimming session with most regulars swimming anything from twice to everyday of the week. Lifeguard Amy who has worked at the centre for 6 years says “ our customer are regular swimmers who have been coming to the swimming baths for years, week in week. The sessions have been enhanced with the ASA Swimfit programme.
‘I swim at the baths because it is cost effective and in a great location, I also know the staff well and they get the pool hoist out as soon as they see me’
Location plays a key part in participation as the swimming baths are easily assessable in the centre of the city
Key success factors;
An offer to casual adult swimmers that puts customers first and is adaptable to their needs.
Friendly staff that know the regular casual swimmers
A location that is easily accessible in a central location.
An affordable price of SwimFit membership ranging from £7.50- £ a month
A social environment suitable for regular swimmers
Specific sessions eg women only that endeavour to meet the needs of the customer
Wrap around services such as adult swimming lessons
Added benefit such as the steam room included in the membership
A very affordable off peak membership that caters for older swimmers 60+ living in Wolverhampton.
The busiest session is on a Monday morning and is women's only consisting of anything from women per session. It is estimated that around 90% of the customer are Muslim women. “Its a social environment where Muslim women come to keep fit and meet there friends, they draw the blinds and try and ensure there are female lifeguards“
Central baths customer -Marif Asif . ‘’
Challenge 1
Centre has become dated and needs renovation work
Challenge 2
Being able to offer female only lifeguards for women only session
Challenge 3
Ensuring the baths were well used during the day
Developed for the Black Country BeActive Partnership by Sport Structures Limited