Press Release

BETFAIR, the UK's largest online betting company, has announced it is to award significant grants to community sports clubs for a second consecutive year by extending its Cash 4 Clubs scheme nationwide.

In 2008 over £30,000 was distributed to 30 sports organisations in specific regions across the UK, but the scheme is now being opened-up to clubs in all areas of the country. Clubs from across the UK are invited to apply for the free funding, with the first window for applications now open.

The Cash 4 Clubs scheme is funded by Betfair and supported by SportsAid. Both organisations understand the importance of community sport in promoting an active lifestyle and stimulating local pride.

Grants can be used to improve facilities, purchase new equipment and generally invest in the sustainability of their club. Awards of up to £1,000 are made on a quarterly basis, with applications judged by an independent committee. To apply clubs need to fill out an application available at www.cash-4-clubs.com.

Olympic Swimmer and World Record Holder Mark Foster has backed the Cash 4 Clubs initiative. He said: "It was at my local club in Southend that I started swimming and without the support of this community club I would never have represented my country at the top level of the sport.

"Clubs need funds and that is why Cash 4 Clubs is such a fantastic scheme as it gets money straight to where it can have the most impact."

Betfair CSR Manager Georgina Corbett added: "The Cash 4 Clubs scheme has proved exceptionally popular in the areas in which it was run last year. Betfair is passionate about supporting grassroots sport at all levels, and so we are delighted to be expanding the scheme nationwide in 2009.

"It's a great time to be involved with sport and Cash 4 Clubs can hopefully play an important role in helping clubs to sustain and develop themselves.

"New sources of funding are particularly rare in the current financial climate and so we hope that the decision to extend the scheme, when many budgets are tight, will be a welcome one."

To get an application form or to find out more about Cash 4 Clubs visit www.cash-4-clubs.com.

For high resolution pictures of Mark Foster or other Cash 4 Club images visit http://cash-4-clubs.com/cash-4-clubs-press-release-support.php

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About Cash 4 Clubs: (www.cash-4-clubs.com) Cash 4 Clubs is a sports funding scheme which gives clubs a unique chance to apply for grants to improve facilities, purchase new equipment, gain coaching qualifications, and generally invest in the sustainability of their club. In 2008 over £30,000 was given out in grants to 30 community sports clubs across the UK. It's a flexible, no-fuss way to get some help for your club or team.

The Cash 4 Clubs scheme is funded by Betfair and is supported by SportsAid. Betfair and SportsAid have worked in partnership for a number of years and both organisations understand the importance of community sport in promoting an active lifestyle and stimulating local pride. It's a great time to be involved with sport and Cash 4 Clubs can hopefully play an important role in helping clubs to sustain and develop themselves.

About Betfair: (www.betfair.com)
Betfair is the world's biggest online betting community and pioneered the first successful betting exchange in 2000. Driven by cutting-edge technology, Betfair enables customers to choose their own odds and bet even after the event has started. The company now processes over six million transactions a day from its two million registered customers around the world. In addition to sports betting, Betfair offers a portfolio of innovative products including casino, exchange games and poker.

Betfair has twice been named the UK's ‘Company of the Year' by the Confederation of British Industry and remains one of the only betting companies to win a Queen's Award for Enterprise, being recognised for Innovation in 2003 and most recently for International Trade in 2008.

Betfair currently employs over 1,500 people, principally in London, Malta and Tasmania. The company is a licensed betting operator in the UK, and holds licenses in Australia, Germany, Austria, Italy and Malta.