March 08 Monthly Blog

Welcome to our March blog for a month which sees Sport England’s headline proposals agreed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Minister for Sport (see Advise below). As you will appreciate, there is a great deal of detailed work to do but we are committed to keeping both colleagues and partners informed.


As we approach the end of the financial year we again will be reporting on many great achievements of the delivery system in the East, as well as our own performance. We will also be reporting on the current Regional Plan for Sport.


Personally, I was pleased last month to see a staggering 65 venues from our region make it into the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp guide (see Advise below), many having been funded through the National Lottery.

Advise

Statement from the Chief Executive of Sport England - Sport England's 2008-11 Strategy
Sport England last week submitted its headline proposals for its 2008-11 strategy to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Minister for Sport. More

Braintree’s Get Back Into Netball launches Thundercats

A successful Get Back into Netball course in Braintree has resulted in a brand new netball team. The newly formed Braintree Town Thundercats has entered the Chelmsford & District Netball League for the summer, affiliated to England Netball, ordered new kit and has joined the Braintree Town club.

Find out more about Get Back Into, including links to local course info at: www.getbackinto.co.uk

London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide

The East facilities included in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide were announced last month at the Ipswich Gymnastics Centre. Further information can be found on the London 2012 web site.



Search begins for Essex paralympians
A new scheme is being launched across Essex to encourage people with disabilities to get involved in sport and to find potential paralympians.

Sports clubs from across the county are opening up their doors and encouraging people with disabilities to get involved.

The Essex Disability Sports Academy is the brainchild of sportessex, and will co-ordinate a series of taster sessions at clubs across the county. More


Invest

Playing field safeguards secure a better deal for sport

New data from Sport England reveals that 1,176 (97%) out of 1,216 concluded planning applications affecting playing fields in 2005-06 resulted in improved or protected sports provision. The statistics show that only 40 applications (3%) resulted in a detrimental impact to sport. More



Sport England East awards East Anglia Tennis and Squash Club £25,000
East Anglia Tennis and Squash Club is celebrating receiving a £25,000 grant from Sport England East to improve facilities at the club.

The Norwich based club applied for the funding to help improve its squash courts, including replacing floors and adding heating, in a bid to attract more people to the sport and make facilities better for existing members. The work to improve the courts will start in April.

Sport England East provides grants under the Community Club Development Programme to help clubs such as East Anglia Tennis and Squash Club increase participation in sports and to enhance links with local schools and the community. Furthermore, the club hosts fitness classes and pilates, as well as providing a base for the Norwich Runners Club and 10 teams of the Norwich Hockey Club. Local church and scout groups also use the club, with a number of local schools making use of the squash and tennis courts on a regular basis.

Double award joy for Peterborough Milton Golf Club
Peterborough Milton Golf Club is celebrating having just been presented with two awards – the prestigious Golfmark award and a funding award of £50,000 from Sport England East to help develop the club’s practice ground.

Peterborough Milton, set in the grounds of Fitzwilliam Estate, is the latest golf club to be presented with the Golfmark award. The award is a national scheme, run by the English Golf Union, which identifies and recognises junior and beginner friendly golf facilities. Peterborough Milton has been awarded Golfmark status in recognition of the club’s dedication to attracting people, especially juniors, to the sport.

The news that the club has also been granted funding from Sport England East means the facilities to help juniors and beginners improve their skills will be given a further boost. The £50,000 funding award completes the £75,000 needed to develop the club’s practice ground. The rest of the project has been funded by the club.


Promote

Living Sport launches new website
Living Sport has launched a great new website with advice for clubs, coaches and volunteers, together with information on where to get active.
More:
http://www.livingsport.co.uk/

London 2012 – Cultural Olympiad – Be Inspired
London is the Host City, but the 2012 Games belong to – and will benefit - the whole UK. As part of the Cultural Olympiad a UK-wide festival is being created celebrating the diverse cultures across the UK. It will start over the weekend of 26-28 September 2008 and run right through to the end of the Games.

Be inspired and get involved here


2008 Events
There are a number of events planned over the forthcoming months. For a full listing and further details please look at our events page

12 April
Bedford Healthy Living Fair

10-11 May
Herts Youth Games

12-13 May
Relaying the Baton 3
Details TBC

14 May
East Regional Sports Board

18 May
Team Beds and Luton Street Games
Events county-wide

2 June
Gender and BME training workshop conference
Contact

6 July
Suffolk Youth Games 2008
Northgate Sports Centre, Ipswich

18 July
East Regional Sports Board

24 Aug
UK's Cultural Olympiad begins and Olympic Handover
More

17 Sept
Paralympic Handover

23 Sept
East Regional Sports Board

17 Oct
Norfolk Youth Games and Partnership GamesYouth Games
UEA Sportspark, Norwich

20 Oct
Norfolk Youth Games and Partnership Games
Swimming Gala, School Swimming Gala and School Partnership Games
UEA Sportspark, Norwich