July 08 Blog - Disability Sport Focus

Hello and welcome to a special blog focussing on the work of the English Federation of Disability Sport and the Inclusive Fitness Initiative and introducing the key regional colleagues from both organistions.

Hi I’m Mark Healy, I’m the East Region Development Manager for English Federation of Disability Sport.

The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) has been helping to improve the range and quality of sporting opportunities available to disabled people since 1998. The Government sees the EFDS as the “Umbrella” organisation for Disability Sport and we have a presence in all nine Sport England Regions.

My primary role is to support Sport England East, the six County Sport Partnerships and the National Governing Bodies in all areas pertaining to Disability Sport. I am a key member of the regional steering group whose responsibility is the planning and delivery of the “Playground to Paralympic Podium” initiative.

The initiative provides a framework for identifying and supporting disabled players and athletes who demonstrate potential in particular sports. Jointly developed with Youth Sport Trust, UK Sport, and Paralympics GB, the initiative plays an important part in Sport England’s wider goal of investing in community sport to create a world leading community sports system.

Mark Healy
East Region Development Manager
English Federation of Disability Sport
Street & Leisure Services
Colchester Borough Council
PO Box 331, Town Hall
Colchester
CO1 1GL
01206 507890
07764 291664
EMail

Website

Hi I’m Carla Raven, I have recently been appointed as the Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) Regional Activator for the East of England.

The main aim of the Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) is to create more accessible services to disabled users within leisure facilities.

Research by the IFI is carried out in conjunction with Sheffield Hallam University and work is done with suppliers to create accessible equipment. Access within facilities themselves also provides a key focus of the programme. IFI Project Coordinators visit sites and conduct access audits on particular facilities that want to reach accreditation standard. Facilities reach accreditation standard once they have made the necessary alterations to the facility, have undergone an access audit, have purchased accessible equipment and staff have undertaken relevant training. This training ranges from disability equality training for all facility staff to NVQ level three qualifications for fitness instructors and allows staff to provide a better service to disabled users.

The Inclusive Fitness Initiative is managed by Montgomery Leisure Services on behalf of the English Federation of Disability Sport Operating Company (EFDS OC), the funding originated from Sport England and as the IFI has progressed funding has been granted from other organisations, for example most recently from the National Sports Foundation.

My role as a regional activator is to “activate” sites once they have been awarded accreditation to ensure that they remain proactive and engage with their local disabled community. The main objective of my work is to support sites to increase usage by disabled people within their facility. I empower sites to develop inclusive marketing strategies, make community links, conduct outreach work, make partnerships with disability organisations and to organise inclusive activities. I also encourage sites to share examples of good practice amongst themselves and act as a link officer between them. In addition to this I tie sites into links that I make with regional networks and disability organisations where possible.

It is important that sites employ an inclusive attitude within the whole facility, starting at reception. In order to ensure a holistic attitude is employed training levels need to be maintained due to staff turnover.

There are national mass participation events that occur throughout the year which act as promotion campaigns to encourage disabled users to take part in exercise and to increase awareness of physical activity opportunities for disabled users and the IFI. The aim is for sites from all regions to work together in promoting inclusive activity. Inclusive Fitness Week was recently held which worked with sites nationally to promote inclusive fitness by encouraging each IFI site to make a contribution to promote inclusive fitness. The activities across the country varied from free inductions to multi activity events (for more details please look on www.inclusivefitness.org) the week was a large success in raising awareness.

The second part of my role is to work with disability, sport and physical activity organisations at a regional level and develop partnerships with public, private and voluntary sector organisations. I will also support the delivery of marketing seminars, and engage with the fitness industry to market in a more inclusive fashion. The aim is for awareness created at regional level to filter through to community level. In turn working with sites to raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity and facilitate the breaking down of barriers which prevent disabled people from participating in physical activity.

Carla Raven
IFI Regional Activator, East Region
c/o Sport England East
Crescent House
19 The Crescent
Bedford
MK40 2QP
07508 033889
EMail
Website

June 08 Blog

Welcome to our June blog for a month which has seen the launch of three major strategies which will impact on the sporting landscape. Details of the DCMS's "Playing to Win" and London 2012's "Before, During and After" are below, while our own strategy can be accessed through our special blog here


While the strategies herald an exciting new chapter for sport, I'm keen not to lose sight of what has been achieved in the East collectively and would recommend having a look at our annual review (details in Advise). We will be sharing more information with key partners through our usual face to face meetings.

Finally, can I encourage you to vote in this year's National Lottery Awards. Last year saw Bedford's Fit @ Sixty win top prize in the sport category. This year Colchester United Sport Trust's Shrub End facility and outreach programme has made it to the shortlist.

Chris Perks, Regional Director


Advise

Sport England East Annual Review
We are pleased to publish our brief Annual Review for 2007-08 which shows a year of substantial achievements in the East of England. Building on the successes of last year, the system for delivering sport has gone from strength to strength. We intend to produce a review of the East of England Plan for Sport in the forthcoming months. More


Free swimming plan for over 60s at the forefront of sports reforms to spearhead 2012 legacy plans
A new £140 million fund to boost sport and fitness through free swimming for the over 60s has been announced by the Government as part of a drive to get two million people more active by the London 2012 Olympics.

The initiative was part of a package of measures in the Legacy Action Plan: Before, During and After: Making the most of the London 2012 Games.

The DCMS also launched Playing to Win: a New Era for Sport, which outlines roles, responsibilities and the ambitions of partners within the sporting landscape namely UKSport, Youth Sports Trust and Sport England.

Falkner and family make history again
Sport England's Ellen Falkner, her mum Sue Alexander and grandma Dorothy Bowers are thought to have made history after keeping it in the family to win the triples crown for England at the British Isles Women's Bowls Championships. They beat Ireland in the final 18-9, topping their achievement of winning the 2007 English national final. More

Ten facilities in the East make the Pre-Games Training Camp Guide for Paralympic sports
Over 170 sporting facilities from every part of the UK will feature in London 2012’s Pre-Games Training Camp Guide for Paralympic sports.

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has announced the list of successful facilities, which includes ten venues from the East of England. It will publish its Guide of both Olympic and Paralympic facilities which are capable of hosting teams wanting to prepare for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in the summer.

The Guide contains a selection of high quality, sporting facilities that meet the technical criteria of national and international sports bodies and also accessibility and support service requirements to be a suitable venue to host Paralymlpic teams. More

Understanding you markets - Active People & market segmentation bulletin 2
The second Active People and market segmentation bulletin is now available, focusing on using the market segmentation data and running cross tabulation analyses. More

New research to help sports clubs harness volunteer power
Volunteering England and the Institute of Volunteering Research have announced that sports clubs can now measure the impact of their volunteers thanks to a new set of web-based tools.

Laura Ferguson, Head of Sports Volunteering at Volunteering England, said: "These are the first ever tools designed for sports organisations to demonstrate the difference their volunteers are making, and it is fantastic to see those who have already used them promoting the positive impacts of their volunteers and making positive changes to their clubs. More

Norfolk Man appointed Chairman of Snowsports governing body
Barry Spouge, a former Chairman and Director of Norfolk Ski Club, has been appointed Chairman and Director of Snowsport England (formerly known as the English Ski Council).

Barry was instrumental in the presentation for funding and planning of the major £1.4m project completed at Norfolk Ski Club at Trowse, Norwich, which saw the addition of a second ski slope, ski and snowboard fun park, five new lifts and a major clubhouse extension.

Invest

National Lottery Awards - Shrub End makes shortlist
Public voting for the National Lottery Awards 2008 is now open until Friday 4 July and you can decide which projects will progress into the final round of voting later this summer. Vote here

New Facilities Strategy for Herts
Acitve Hertfordshire, a new facilities strategy for the county has just been launched. The executive summary is now available here

Sport England relaunches Sportsmatch
Sport England is delighted to announce the return of Sportsmatch with a new web-based facility enabling applicants to apply online. More

What Sportsmatch can do for you - Hertfordshire Rugby League Coaching Association
Award: £7,500
Sponsor: GT Management Services
Length of scheme: 1 year

The Hertfordshire Rugby League Coaching Association is run primarily for the development of all rugby league coaching in Hertfordshire, including under 18s (known as academy) and open age groups.

They obtained one year's sponsorship from GT Management Services, who specialise in project and programme management, which totalled £7,500. The Association matched this with another £7,500 from Sportsmatch and were able to deliver a rugby league junior coaching programme through the school curriculum and through extra curricular activities.

The Association introduced Rugby League to six secondary schools in the St Albans district. Each school benefited from eight hours of coaching per week with four blocks of six weeks coaching per school, with a specific focus on 12 - 16 year olds. In addition to the curriculum time coaching, after school clubs were set up in schools with club coaches assisting members of staff in the delivery of these clubs.

The project has been a great success, as new links between the local schools, clubs, council and the community has been created through the scheme. The project has also benefited the local community in assisting the creation of a pool of rugby league talent; including players, coaches and volunteers.


Whittlingham included in National Lottery case study guide
The award winning Whittlingham Outdoor Education centre, is one of the innovative projects featuring in a new good practice guide. More

'Lloyds TSB Local Heroes' champions future Olympians and Paralympians
Lloyds TSB, the first Official Partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, has launched its nationwide programme, ‘Lloyds TSB Local Heroes’. ‘Lloyds TSB Local Heroes’ will provide up to £1,000 to 250 emerging young sportspeople identified each year across Britain, in the run up to London 2012 and beyond. By investing more than £1 million in ‘Lloyds TSB Local Heroes’ over the next five years, the bank will play a major role in supporting Great Britain’s young sporting talent. Local Heroes will be delivered in partnership with SportsAid. More


Norwich Union Community Sports Fund
The Norwich Union Community Sports Fund is giving you the chance to make a difference to sport in your community. Vote now for your favourite sporting initiative and help them win funding of up to £50,000. You could even scoop a cash prize of £500 and get a special visit from a Norwich Union GB & NI Team athlete
To view all East of England projects click here, then click on vote now and select East of England in the search box.

Promote

"Inspired by" London 2012
London 2012 has launched a 'mark' to recognise outstanding non-commercial projects and events inspired by the Games.

The Inspire mark is part of the London 2012 brand family. Only the most accessible, participative, inspiring and stimulating projects and events will achieve the mark – across sport, culture, education, environment, volunteering and business skills. The Inspire mark will be awarded to specific projects and events which are:

• Genuinely inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
• Well planned and managed
• Fully funded from non-commercial sources and with no commercial association.
  Innovative and inspiring
• Likely to achieve at least one of their key outcomes. (e.g. increased participation in grass roots sports).

More

Hertfordshire kids gear up for a summer of baseball
An army of kids headed to Grovehill Ballpark in Hertfordshire on Saturday, May 10 for the start of spring training ahead of the inaugural season of the Herts Baseball Little League.

Last year, Herts Baseball Club, with support from BSUK, staged nine summer baseball camps, which were attended by around 50 boys and girls. They have now been joined by many more players who have pre-registered online for the Herts Little League over the winter months.

The season is scheduled to begin on June 14 and all league games will be staged at the club’s baseball complex in Hemel Hempstead. But before this, the players will go through five weeks of intensive spring training, with sessions run by players from Herts Baseball’s three adult teams as well as parents who have shown an interest in getting involved in a coaching capacity. More


Benefits of swimming
The NHS has recently released a promotional video on why swimming and water-based activites are so good for your health and fitness
More



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

20 June
SportsAid Eastern Lunch Club, Bedford Hotel, Newmarket
Speaker : Danny Crates

26 June
SportsAid Eastern Lunch Club, Carrow Road, Norwich
Speaker : Martin Cross, oarsman

6 July
Suffolk Youth Games 2008

11 July
SportsAid Eastern Lunch Club, Jury's Inn Hotel, Central Milton Keynes
Speaker : Paul Dickinson

18 July
East Regional Sport Board

19 & 20 July
The Danbury Bike Festival - Little Havens Mountain Bike Challenge & Mud, Sweat and Gears Mountain Bike Enduro

24 Aug
UK's Cultural Olympiad begins and Olympic Handover

June 08 Blog - Sport England Strategy 2008-2011

Welcome to a special blog focussing on the new Sport England Strategy. The strategy provides clarity on our new direction and focus and can I thank those of you who have been able to contribute within the consultation process during the past months.

Our Annual Review will come out next week in our regular blog and as always the East Regional office remains committed to quality service in what is a year of transition.

Chris Perks
Regional Director

Sport England's World Leading Ambition

Sport England has published a new strategy to get more people playing and enjoying sport and to help those with talent get to the very top.

The strategy commits Sport England to deliver on a series of demanding targets by 2012/13:

• one million more people doing more sport
• a 25% reduction in the number of 16 year olds who drop out of five key sports
• improved talent development systems in at least 25 sports
• a measurable increase in people’s satisfaction with their experience of sport – the first time the organisation has set such a qualitative measure
• a major contribution to the delivery of the five hour sports offer for children and young people.
  

Sport England will work closely with the National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) to deliver the new strategy, and will also continue to work in partnership with local authorities and with County Sports Partnerships delivering specific results. It will reduce bureaucracy by combining its multiple funding streams into a single pot of funding for NGBs, and will be consulting on a new, more streamlined method of funding wider community projects. More