Waterwise has been awarded funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to launch an exciting new pilot project that will help grassroots sports clubs become more water efficient while inspiring local communities to value and save water.
The 12-month Water-Wise Sports Clubs project, delivered in partnership with Bradford Park Avenue Sports Foundation, will work with local grassroots sports clubs to reduce water waste, lower costs and build awareness of water scarcity among players, volunteers, families and supporters.
The project comes at a particularly important time for Yorkshire. Bradford, like much of the region, has experienced prolonged mega-heatwaves with temperatures soaring into the low 30s°C this summer. Although not currently in a state of drought, Yorkshire was one of the first regions to declare drought during 2025, with depleted reservoir levels leading to hosepipe restrictions for households and businesses last summer.
As communities continue to see the real impacts of water scarcity, there is a growing opportunity to support practical, everyday water saving action. Grassroots sports clubs are ideal partners in this work. They are naturally high water users, relying on water for pitch irrigation, showers, hydration and clubhouse facilities, while also serving as trusted hubs at the heart of their communities. By working with local clubs, Waterwise will engage players, families, volunteers and supporters from a wide range of backgrounds, including people who may be less likely to take part in traditional environmental initiatives, helping to build lasting water saving habits that benefit both clubs and households.
The project will carry out simple water-use audits at participating Football, Cricket and Rugby clubs in Bradford, before providing practical support to improve water efficiency. The project will help clubs save water, energy and money, by carrying out simple water-use audits, providing practical support to improve water efficiency, and delivering interactive workshops designed to encourage simple everyday water-saving behaviours. Participating clubs will also work towards achieving the Waterwise Checkmark, recognising their commitment to improving water efficiency for the next three years and supporting the long-term sustainability of facilities that sit at the heart of their communities.
The project builds on successful pilot engagement carried out by Waterwise at a Bradford Park Avenue AFC holiday activity programme in December, where 40 children and young people aged 7–16 took part in a football-themed workshop combining sport with practical water-saving messages. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive and helped shape the development of the Water-Wise Sports Clubs project.
Insights from the project will be used to develop a proven approach that can be expanded to support more grassroots sports clubs and communities across the UK.
Nicci Russell, CEO of Waterwise, said:
“Grassroots sports clubs are at the heart of communities, but like many organisations they’re facing increasing financial pressures alongside growing environmental challenges. This project is about giving clubs practical support to reduce water use, lower bills and become more resilient, while helping inspire the next generation to understand the value of water.
“By combining practical improvements with engaging education, we hope to create lasting behaviour change that benefits clubs, families and communities long after the project has finished.”
Matthew Everett, Community Director at Bradford Park Avenue, said:
“After experiencing drought and hosepipe restrictions across Yorkshire last year, people here are starting to understand that water can’t be taken for granted. As a community club, we’re proud to be part of a collaborative initiative that not only helps us use water more efficiently, also empowering young people and families to adopt sustainable habits for the future.
“At Bradford Park Avenue Sports Foundation, we believe lasting change happens through partnership, and by working alongside Waterwise and other organisations, we’re using the power of grassroots sport to build more resilient, sustainable communities and maximise our collective impact.”
The project supports communities facing cost-of-living pressures by helping clubs reduce operating costs while encouraging water-saving habits that can also help households lower their own water and energy bills.
This project has been made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, using money raised by National Lottery players.