4 minutes | Friday, 2 March 2018
Research to mark the Aviva Community Fund 2017 winners’ announcement reveals the impact that local community groups have across the country. From providing mental health services, supporting the elderly or simply offering an opportunity to get involved in sports, more than half (56%) of Brits say they see the benefit these groups bring to communities.
Local charities (14%); mental health groups (13%); and clubs for the elderly (9%) are perceived to do the most positive work in British communities, closely followed by sports teams (8%).
The most common benefit cited by the public, is that community groups are a place to meet friends (20%), but 2.8 million say they learned a skill that they use in day to day life, 1.8 million were given a lifeline and almost a million say they would not be alive today if it were not for these groups.
Joining us in the studio is Harlequins and England rugby player Danny Care, discussing his experience starting out in sport at a local sports club in Leeds.