SWINDON Storm American Football club is have been awarded a grant of more than £1,000 for their volunteer work.

As members of Swindon Borough Council's Sports Forum, Storm were awarded a sports development grant worth £1,127 for attaining a “gold standard” for professionalism amongst the borough’s volunteer sports clubs.

The forum has opened the door to several successful funding applications to the organisation over the past five years. The 2014 grant will go towards accrediting the next generation of coaches as part of the club’s coaching development programme.

Storm media manager Daniel Murphy believes investing in coaches is key to the club’s progression.

“Without coaches our sport cannot function,” he said.

“Ninety per cent of our current players or coaches never played the sport before their first session with us and need to be taught every skill from scratch.

“This funding will allow us to create 15 new coaches from complete novices.”

The club are currently offering free taster sessions every Saturday, starting this weekend. The sessions start at 10.30am and are held at Swindon RFC’s HQ on Greenbridge Road. New players can try flag non-contact or full contact, all equipment supplied, no experience necessary.

Swindon Storm have entered a team in the ladies Opal series and are looking for players to make up the five-strong side. No experience necessary. Contact the club via www.swindonstorm.org.uk.