A £10,000 grant will 'go a long way' to ensuring Bromsgrove Sporting survives the grassroots sport shutdown resulting from the coronavirus lockdown, club bosses say.

Sporting have received the money via National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund towards the club’s running costs during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The outbreak of the virus and the consequent shutdown of businesses as of March 23 left the Rouslers, like many non-league football clubs, facing a period of uncertainty.

Mike Gardiner, Sporting’s director of capital programmes, said: “Many football clubs across the country, like ours, are currently facing real financial difficulties and with a date for the resumption of football uncertain. Some could possibly cease to exist.

“As a club, we have had no income at all since the enforced shutdown in mid-March but we have been required to continue to pay for many of our outgoings like rent, water, electricity etc.

“We are very pleased to have been awarded this funding as it will go some way to filling the financial shortfall we were potentially facing and we hope it will go a long way to ensure that Bromsgrove Sporting will survive this difficult time for all of us.”

Sport England has announced a £195m package to help the sport and physical activity sector through the coronavirus crisis.

Within the package is a £20m Community Emergency Fund, of National Lottery money, to deliver immediate funding to those who have a role in supporting the nation to be active but are experiencing short-term financial hardship or the ceasing of operations due to the impact of the virus.

The grant will allow clubs such as Bromsgrove to cover many of its costs, including rent, utilities, security and maintenance.

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive, said: “As the body responsible for the growth of sport and physical activity participation, we want the vital grassroots organisations that make sport and physical activity happen in this country to not just to come through this crisis but to be in a position to thrive again in the future.

“The £20m Community Emergency fund, made possible by National Lottery players is part of a multimillion pound package of support we are providing to ease the pressure on a huge number of the organisations who are central to the nation’s health and wellbeing.

“We are proud to be able to provide vital funding to Bromsgrove Sporting Football Club to help it through these extremely challenging times.”