One hundred new chess tables are set to be installed in public spaces across England as part of a £1m package, the Government has announced.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) will provide £250,000 to 85 local authorities to install the new chess tables in public parks.
It is hoped the investment in the game will allow more people to play, connect, tackle loneliness, and develop problem solving skills.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: ‘Chess is a brilliant way for young people to develop skills such as patience and critical thinking. It is something constructive on which to spend their time and feel part of. It inspires creativity and sparks the competitive spirit.
‘We want to give more young people the opportunity to find the thing that they love and realise their potential. So this package is focused on getting more young people playing chess and supporting them to develop their talent.’
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will also invest £500,000 in the English Chess Federation (ECF) over two years and the Department for Education will award grants of up to £2,000 to at least 100 schools in disadvantaged areas across England.
