Sept 08 Blog

Welcome to the September Blog, following on the heels of one of the most successful Paralympics and Olympics for Team GB in modern times. “Team East” also came away from Beijing with reasons to celebrate. From St Neots’ Mark Foster and Essex’s Danny Crates carrying the flag on behalf of Team GB at their respective opening ceremonies, to the six Olympic and 10 Paralympic medals won by athletes from the East of England, the region has every reason to be proud of its performance in China. Here’s a quick reminder of who got what:


Olympics:
GOLD:
Victoria Pendleton - Cycling Women's sprint

SILVER:
Emma Pooley - Cycling Time trial
Ross Edgar - Cycling Men's keirin
Rowing cox Acer Nethercott - Rowing Men's eight

BRONZE:
Louis Smith - Men's pommel horse
Sharon Hunt - Eventing

Paralympics:
GOLD:
Jody Cundy Cycling 1km time trial and men's team sprint
Daniel Bentley, boccia team event
Matt Skelhon, shooting

SILVER:
Mel Clarke, women's archery open compound
Fran Williamson, S3 women's 50m freestyle

BRONZE:
Mel Clarke, women's archery open individual compound and open compound
Fran Williamson, S2 women's 50m freestyle
Natalie Jones, SM6 women's 200m individual medley


Closer to home you will be aware that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has launched an overall strategy “Playing to Win”. A key strand to the strategy is the proposals around free swimming; more on this is contained in Advise below.

Updates on our own strategy can now be received through a new email newsletter. Find out how to subscribe to “the Pitch” in Advise below. National Governing Body work around 2009-13 plans and funding is progressing well with draft plans now received and negotiations on future work of County Sports Partnerships continues. The strategy has led to our own restructuring and this will also affect the East Regional Sport Board. Details will be shared over the coming months as they are finalised.

Finally, a big thank you to all who made submissions as part of our consultation on National Lottery funding.

Chris Perks, Regional Director


Advise

New Mountain Biking venue in Essex confirmed for the London 2012 Games
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has confirmed that subject to final contract negotiations, the venue for the Mountain Biking events will be at Hadleigh Farm, Essex.

The alternative site was chosen following the decision in January 2008 to move the competition away from The Weald Country Park in Essex after a change in requirements for the sport that resulted in the need to identify a more technical and challenging course.

This venue change for the Games has been approved by the International Cycling Union (UCI), British Cycling (BC), the International Olympic Committee, and the British Olympic Association.

The new venue covers a 550 acre site situated close to the village of Hadleigh, nr Benfleet in Essex. The site encompasses the outstandingly beautiful grassland and woodland of Hadleigh Farm, land owned by the Salvation Army, and the surrounding countryside of Hadleigh Castle Country Park. More

Free swimming programme
To encourage local authorities to make swimming free for the over-sixties and under-sixteens, the Government has set up a the Free Swimming Capital Modernisation Programme run by Sport England. Find out more about how to apply for funds. More

The Latest from the Pitch
A new newsletter to keep you informed about how Sport England is delivering its new strategy has been launched. To receive “the Latest from the Pitch” email thepitch@sportengland.org

Sport Evidence Packs
Sport England has recently published detailed sport evidence packs, which bring together data from the Active People Survey, the Taking Part Survey, and Sport England's market segmentation.

Each pack includes information on the following: participation rates in each sport across key demographic groups, participation by region, the profile of sports participants, the segments most likely to participate in the sport, young people's participation (11-15 year olds), seasonal variation in participation, drop off in participation by age, latent demand, growth by sport, and participation in organised sport.
More


Sport revealed as priority for local authorities
Promoting participation in sport is now one of the top 20 priorities for local authorities in England. More than half the new Local Area Agreements (LAAs) now include adult participation in sport as a key priority.More

Sport England East has produced a number of resources around Local Area Agreements. There is an online LAA library which contains a wealth of information relating to the world of LAAs, including guidance, information about the national indicators. More

Also located here is the IMD 2007 rankings, including those areas within the top 20% most deprived. More


Invest

The designs for a new world-class White Water Canoe Centre are unveiled
A planning application has now been submitted for the venue in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. New facilities include a 300m course, with a warm-up course and finish lake; and path and bridge networks throughout the venue to help spectators get close to the action. White-water will be created through a system of pumps and obstacles, all contributing to the venue continuing to be a major sporting and leisure attraction after the Games.A new building will also be built containing a reception, café, changing rooms, shop, offices, spectator viewing area, equipment storage and water pump/filtration facilities. The Centre will be owned and managed by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, which owns the land. More


Promote

2008 BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award
In 2007 Luton’s Paul Webb picked up the BBC East’s Sports Unsung Hero Award for his work in establishing boxing clubs.

Nominations for the 2008 BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award can now be made at www.bbc.co.uk/sportsunsunghero The closing date is Friday 31st October. BBC East’s winner will be announced at the regional awards on December 8th at Duxford. The overall 2008 winner will be announced on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show live on BBC ONE on Sunday December 14 from the Echo Arena in Liverpool. Bursaries of up to £2,500 are also available to each regional winner, to help them and their club in their work with sport in the community.


Norfolk Project on ITV Local
Footage of the Active England Extended Schools Project for Norfolk is now available on ITV Local. Find out why the project is such a huge success in getting the community active through the use of school facilities. More

Videos to encourage sports participation
Sport England and sportessex recently commissioned a number of one minute videos which encourage viewers to take part in specific sports. The first four of these videos have just been finished, check them out at the links below:

Video 1: Taekwondo

Video 2: Table Tennis
Video 3: Volleyball
Video 4: Climbing


2008 Events
There are a number of events planned over the forthcoming months.

8 Oct - Herts Service to Sports Awards 2008

17 Oct - Norfolk Youth Games and Partnership Games Youth Games
19 Oct - Suffolk Sports Awards 2008

20 Oct - Norfolk Youth Games and Partnership Games Swimming Gala

4 Nov - Living Sport Sports Awards 2008

6 Nov - Essex Sports Awards

14 Nov - Active Norfolk & EDP Sports Awards

8 Dec - BBC East Sports Awards in association with Sport England