Hackney Council is to establish a unique community fund for disadvantaged athletes, coaches, the disability sports sector and voluntary sports clubs in the borough following its £300,000 windfall from Nike.

The council received the money from the sports giant in an out of court settlement over the unauthorised use by Nike of the council’s logo.

A total of £220,000 will be invested in the council’s Youth Sports Development Fund (YSDF), which enables community groups to apply for bursaries for financially disadvantaged talented athletes, training grants for volunteer sports coaches and to develop the voluntary sports club and disability sport sectors in Hackney.

Other projects to be considered for the remainder of the money include developing the girls football club programme, rolling out the Sports Coach UK accredited programme, coaching for disability swimming and Street Dance sessions for young children on housing estates.

Mayor Jules Pipe said: “The money from Nike is a real bonus and it means we can inject more cash into grassroots sport in Hackney. We want to put some of that extra cash into our talented young athletes.”

The fund will be administered by Hackney Council which will form an awards panel, chaired by the cabinet member for community services, Nargis Khan. Details: www.hackney.gov.uk