When Paralympic legend Ellie Simmonds joined volunteers on West Kirby Beach for a community clean‑up, she wasn’t just highlighting the power of sport, she was shining a light on the growing movement across England to protect the places we play. And at the heart of that movement is Sport England, whose Movement Fund is helping clubs and communities take real, practical action to tackle environmental challenges.

The beach clean formed part of Team England’s leg of the King’s Baton Relay, bringing athletes and local communities together to remove plastic waste and celebrate the role sport can play in protecting our natural spaces. For Ellie, the message was simple: when athletes act, people listen, and when communities act, change happens:

“Sport brings the power of change, and it brings everyone together to highlight lots of different things,” Ellie said. “We’ve got the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July and Team England are doing their bit, not just at the competition, but to bring communities together. We’re all impacted by water in so many different ways. Sometimes we forget that and as athletes we have voices to inspire people. Using Commonwealth Games and sporting events can be life-changing because if kids or individuals see athletes doing certain things, they think ‘why don’t we too’?”

Simmonds joined members of the local community in Merseyside to don gloves and litter-pickers as they sought to clear West Kirby Beach of rubbish with the help of Surfers Against Sewage and representatives from Sport England.

Emma Hardy MP, Minister for Water and Flooding, has also lent her support to this Commonwealth-wide effort. She has been a prominent voice in Parliament on tackling ocean plastics, championing stronger action to protect marine environments and coastal communities. Ms Hardy has pushed for better recycling systems, tougher regulation on plastic waste and greater support for community‑led clean‑up efforts. Her advocacy highlights how pollution harms wildlife, local economies and public health, and why reducing plastic at the source is essential for a cleaner, healthier future. She sent us this message to support the Beach Clean:


 Across England, climate change and human behaviours are already affecting how people stay active: hotter summers, water pollution, rising energy costs and damaged facilities are becoming everyday barriers. That’s why Sport England is investing directly in community‑led sustainability projects, helping clubs cut carbon, reduce waste, improve facilities and build resilience for the future.

Team England is proud to stand alongside Sport England in championing a more sustainable future for sport. But the real impact comes from local action, and that’s exactly what the Movement Fund is designed to support.

Want to see how Sport England can help your club or community take climate action? Clubs, projects and grassroots organisations can apply for Sport England funding - including support for improving both environmental sustainability and providing physical activity opportunities -

Find out more about Sport England funding: https://www.sportengland.org/f...