THREE Gwent organisations are to get a share of £2.35m in National Lottery funding from Sport Wales to boost sports participation in Wales.

Newport-based Welsh Cycling, the Brecon Beacons National Park and Newport County AFC, as part of the Time to Change Wales project, were among ten projects to secure funding following successful bids to Sport Wales’ Calls4Action grant scheme to tackle inequalities in sport participation in Wales.

The organisations will use the cash to encourage more young women and girls to play sport, as well as more people with disabilities, more children from deprived communities and from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Welsh Cycling was awarded £249,342 towards the She Cycle’s Wales project that will focus on developing local Breeze Champions – those who volunteer to organise fun, social-led bike rides for women in their local area.

The champions are trained and supported to lead rides which go at a pace that suits everyone.

Breeze co-ordinator Cat Crimmins said the cash will help offer over 10,000 opportunities for women and cycling over the next three years.

The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority receives £66,798 towards working with more than 300 young people in areas including Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent.

Clare Parsons, sustainable communities manager, said the funding will be used to help get those living in poverty out onto the park using Geocatching – a hand-held GPS for hi-tech orienteering.

Newport is one of four football clubs in Wales to benefit from a share of £104,000 as part of the Time to Change project which will help deliver new football participation programmes for people with mental health problems or illness, supported by training and local campaigns on mental health awareness.

Adele Baumgardt, vice-chairman of Sport Wales, announced the multi-million pound investment at the National Velodrome in Newport yesterday.

She said: “We have an unshakeable commitment to tackle inequality in Welsh sport. We know it’s not just a Welsh issue but we will not sit back and accept it because sport should be for everyone, regardless of their background.”