Sportside, the innovative sports tech company seeking to connect millions of grassroots participants to meet their sporting match, has chosen the London Borough of Richmond to launch an exciting pilot volunteer scheme to help thousands of residents stay healthy and active as the borough enters Tier 2 restrictions following the latest national lockdown.

Sportside is seeking Richmond-based sports enthusiasts to sign up as community Captains and lead the charge in helping locals stay active, while following the latest UK government rules around exercise in Tier 2 regions.

The scheme, which sees Richmond locals become the first people to trial the new free Sportside app, will empower the volunteer community captains to alert fellow residents on the app and encourage them to join together before taking part in permitted sport and exercise activities, including the likes of running, cycling, tennis, football or walking.

Local residents can apply to become a community captain by visiting the Sportside website and completing the online form. Community captains will benefit from increased visibility and promotion within the Sportside app and social media, as well as a dedicated in-app badge and the satisfaction of inspiring their neighbours to connect and play!

While currently restricted to Tier 2 approved activities, the Sportside app, available to download for free on both iOS and Android devices for Richmond residents today, is a new one-stop platform which will soon enable people to connect and play across 20 sports, and find their perfect sporting match by age, ability and geography. Following the initial pilot in the London boroughs of Richmond and Bromley, the app will be rolled out across all London boroughs and nationwide in 2021.

Sportside chief executive Jeremy Bourke said: "We are excited that the Richmond will be the place where we begin our mission to connect the nation through sporting play.

"There has never been a more important time for all of us to recognise the role that sport and exercise can play in our lives, and at Sportside we know that people connecting and coming together will be a massive part of our physical and mental recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our community captains will play a key role in initially helping residents in Richmond have the chance to exercise safely in line with UK government guidelines, while we eagerly look forward to more sports reopening for access in the coming weeks and months."

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[i]Many thanks to Sportside for contributing this piece for us.