How technology can support a safe return to physical activity and sport

With concerns over sustainability and growing inequalities across the sector, Spond CEO Trine Falnes shares her belief, in an exclusive guest blog for London Sport, that technology can be a vital tool to help bridge gaps and rebuild.

After such an intensely stressful time, getting back to doing the things we love, with the people we care for, is crucial to our mental and physical health.

The massive disruption caused by the pandemic will require us to come together collectively to rebuild and reconnect.

One of the few positives to come from the pandemic has been a resurgence of people thinking local and valuing their communities.

Tapping into the sense of community evoked by covid-19 can play an important role in the survival of grassroots communities and clubs, as we slowly return to the movement and activity that is so essential to people’s lives and wellbeing.

At Spond, we’re determined to do our bit to help. Our commitment to helping teams, groups, clubs and organisations rebuild and come together is stronger than ever.

Clubs and communities will do what they’ve always done: get organised and mobilise their people. 

Our free app has always been about making organising grassroots sport easier by streamlining and simplifying everything in one app to save organisers hours of administration every week.

This has never been more important.

For millions, the experience of community sport is priceless. But it is not free. Anyone involved in local sport knows that every club relies on an army of unpaid volunteers to make things happen.

The pandemic has proved catastrophic on so many levels, including for clubs’ finances, which were already strained even before the pandemic hit.

We’re hearing from our users that they need more help when it comes to fundraising, and are busy testing prototypes of virtual fundraisers that can help clubs and teams generate revenue.

These micro-fundraisers could play a small but vital role in helping fill funding gaps and replacing lost revenue. Now, more than ever, it’s vital we give grassroots sport the support they need.

At Spond, we are here to support a safe return to sport, and to active, healthy lives through strong, sustainable communities where anyone can participate, belong and thrive.

Our platforms are free to use, and we are committed to supporting our close to 1 million users, 25,000 teams and community partners as they rebuild and reconnect.

The pandemic has accelerated the digital speed across society. Our platforms are designed to remove the barriers to activity and participation, while supporting the volunteers and administrators delivering activity.

I firmly believe that technology, like the Spond app, can play an important role in making volunteering and organising easier and more effective.

To learn more about the Spond app and how it can help reduce admin time and effort for your community sport club, click here.