FURTHER education and sixth form colleges across the South West are invited to bid for a share of £5.8 million of National Lottery investment from Sport England's "Further Education Activation Fund".

This fund aims to boost the number of students taking part in sport by supporting colleges to design and develop projects tailored to the sporting needs of their students.

Sport England's Active People Survey shows that college students play the least sport of students aged 16 and over.

Almost two thirds of school pupils aged 16 and over do sport at least once a week, compared to 52 per cent of higher education students and 50 per cent of further education students.

The funding is part of Sport England's five-year £1 billion Youth and Community Strategy which is helping more people than ever to get involved in sport.

Applications are now being accepted to the Further Education Activation Fund and will close on January 20 2014. To find out more and to make an application please visit http://www.sportengland.org/funding/our-different-funds/">www.sportengland.org/funding/our-different-funds/ .