Robertson announces £135m scheme for sport

A £135m Lottery-funded drive to boost mass participation in sport on the back of staging the London 2012 Games was announced yesterday. Places, People and Play, billed by the Olympics minister Hugh Robertson as the "cornerstone of grassroots legacy", aims to realise London 2012's difficult pledge that hosting the Games will inspire a new generation to play sport.

Top priority will be tackling the state of facilities across the country and also drawing people into sport, Robertson said. There is also a pledge to upgrade thousands of local sports clubs and facilities, with £50m set aside, and to improve hundreds of playing fields, for which £10m has been earmarked. Jennie Price, chief executive of Sport England, said up to £98m will be new money and up to £38m will be from money already identified for such initiatives.