Welcome to our July newsletter. Although it only seems like yesterday that we launched the eNewsletter actually a full 12 months has elapsed. The first edition coincided with our new website going live and since then we have published every two months. From September I am pleased to be able to say that we will be publishing monthly.
In the first twelve months circulation has grown from 250 to over 1100 and rising. This supports our view that the eNewsletter is a very important part of our continual effort to improve not just our communication with you but to also provide a service that you can use and that you find valuable. Please keep sending ideas and articles for inclusion to kfarr@glos.ac.uk
We are also pleased with the way that the website has performed. It regularly attracts over 1000 visits each month and has over 230 registered users - so if you haven't yet signed up please click here and go to the bottom of the page! We will continue to enhance it to ensure even greater appeal in the future.
Elsewhere in this edition you will find updates on London 2012 and suggestions to mark the official handover from Beijing to London later this summer. A key part of the London legacy is the newly announced government aspiration to build a world leading community sports system in England. This has significant implications for Sport England, Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Authorities and ourselves. Jim Clarke, Regional Director for Sport England, outlines the main points in an article and it is clear that we all face a period of rapid and intense change.
As we look forward to Beijing we are recognising that the next four years could revolutionise sport in this country and not just in terms of building large scale facilities but also in the way that sport could become integral to our local communities. There is a great deal to do and it is really encouraging to see the range of local organisations that are already working hard and effectively to provide opportunities to participate in sport.
It is also encouraging to note the growing emphasis across the county on promoting physical activity and the role played by colleagues in the Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust. We will continue to be committed to this agenda in pursuit of our vision of Gloucestershire being a physically active and successful sporting county and look forward to working with the PCT on promoting physical activity alongside our future work.
I hope that you all have a great summer.
John Stevens
Chief Executive Officer
Sport Englands New Vision and Active Gloucestershire Business Plan
The Secretary of State for Cultre, Media and Sport on July 4th addressed sporting colleagues with a letter detailing the start of a new era for sport. To read this letter please click on the link below.
Playing To Win - Letter from The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
How does this new era for sport effect Sport England and its partners?
Creating A World Leading Community Sports System in England.
Jim Clarke Regional Director Sport England (SW) Summarises Sport England’s New Strategy and the Implications Arising
"This has been an extremely busy time for Sport England. The Secretary of State recently launched our new strategy for the period 2008-11 and we have now published (internally) our proposals for restructuring in order that we are best placed to deliver on the new strategy. Both matters impact upon the working relationship that we have with many Regional partners and I thought it important to write and let you, and your colleagues, know the main details". To view the full summary from Jim Clarke, please click here.
Extending Activities
On the 13th July 2007, the Prime Minister announced additional investment of £100m (2008 - 2011) into the PE and School Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP) (formally known as PE and School Sport Strategy - PESSCL) to give every young person the chance to do five hours of sport a week. This is often referred to as “the 5 Hour Offer”.£36m of this funding is being used to deliver the Extending Activity workstrand of the 5 Hour Offer.
A year on we are very pleased to let you all know that Active Gloucestershire has successfully been awarded all of the £82,250 funding requested for the Extending Activities programme for year 1 (Sept 08 - Mar 09). This now provides Gloucestershire with the resource to ensure up to 2160 children and young people in the 5 to 19 age range from the ‘semi sporty’ population segment take up an additional 2 hours of term time high quality sports activities through attractive provision designed to stimulate and increase take up and sustain participation.
With this funding investment comes an exciting time for the County and a number of key figures have expressed their thanks.
Cheryl Stenett, Partnership Development Manager for Gloucester City SSP said "We are very excited about this opportunity. Thank you for all your support"
Craig Mortiboys, Healthy communities Partnership Manager for Cheltenham Borough Council congratulated everyone involved, "Excellent news - and well done for all of your hard work against the ridiculously tight timescales!"
For everyone involved the next steps now are to ensure all programmes and activities are set up and running by September 08. An update report on the programme along with a list of all activities available to the children and young people of Gloucestershire will be featured in our September newsletter.
To find out more about the Extending Activities programme and targets and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the country and Gloucestershire please click here.
Gloucestershire Sports Awards 2008
Active Gloucestershire have launched the 2008 nomination period early in order to raise the profile and increase the awareness of the awards which seek to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions made by sports coaches, clubs and volunteers, officials and PE teachers in Gloucestershire.
This year’s ceremony will take place at Cheltenham Racecourse on Thursday 27th November and for the 5th year is sponsored by HSBC. Diane Pitts, Head of Commercial of HSBC said "HSBC are thrilled to continue our support of the Gloucestershire Sports Awards and we are looking forward to seeing a strong representation from Gloucestershire's finest in the sports arena."
Over 120 guests will be invited to join Olympic swimmer and broadcaster Sharron Davies MBE to celebrate the dedication and hard work that coaches, volunteers, clubs, officials and teachers put into developing sport within the county. It is also hoped that Olympic and Paralympic athletes from the county will also join the event fresh from their experiences in Beijing.
If you think you know someone who deserves recognition for the role that they play in the development of sport in Gloucestershire you can nominate them for an award by completing the online nomination form. Alternatively pick up a form at your local HSBC branch, local council leisure facility, school or club to nominate today. The deadline for nominations is Tuesday 30th September.
Nominations for the following awards are now open:
- Coaching Awards:
- Young Peoples Coach of the Year
- Disability Sports Coach of the Year
Rookie Coach of the Year Willans Solicitors' Performance Coach of the Year Club Awards: unior Club of the Year Adult Club of the Year Disability Sporting Opportunities of the Year Junior Club Performance of the Year Adult Club Performance of the Year Volunteer Awards: - Junior Club of the Year
- Senior Volunteer of the Year
Officials Awards (New for 2008): - Junior Official of the Year
- Senior Official of the Year
PE Teacher Awards: - Secondary PE Teacher of the Year
- Primary PE Teacher of the Year
Overall Award: - The HSBC Outstanding Services to Sport in Gloucestershire
Disability Sport and Physical Activity Network Launch
The county steering group has concluded that there is a need in Gloucestershire for a Disability Sport and Physical Activity Network and has been working towards making this a reality.
The network will involve a wide range of partners from across the county who have a common interest in improving the provision, range and quality of new and exciting opportunities for disabled people to participate in sport and physical activity for the next three years and beyond.
On Wednesday 9th July, at the University of Gloucestershire's Oxstalls Campus, Gloucester, Phillip Douch, Commissioning Manager for Short Breaks and Out of School Inclusion at Gloucestershire County Council will be guest speaker at the network launch and will give a presentation on the new 'Transforming Short Breaks Pathfinder Project'.
We are all aware of the number of good initiatives for disability sport in Gloucestershire but also equally aware of the many barriers that come with coordinating these programmes, such as transport, care, support, training and so forth. The pathfinder project is looking at ways of overcoming these barriers, with an emphasis on giving disabled children and young people the opportunity to take part in inclusive programmes, providing a positive impact for all sport and physical activity providers.
Also at the event launch community sports providers will have the chance to promote the work they are doing around the county through an interactive market place. This will help provide a good opportunity to identify any potential gaps in provision in Gloucestershire.
This launch will mark the beginning of the network and will see all those interested in disability sport working together towards a common goal of achieving high quality sport and physical activity opportunities for disabled people in Gloucestershire.
If you are interested in attending the launch on Wednesday 9th July please contact Anne-Dorte Andersen, Sport and Physical Activity Development Officer for Disabled People on 01242 715201 or email aandersen@glos.ac.uk
Summer Holiday Programmes in Gloucestershire
Stuck for something to do during the school summer holidays then why not check out one of the programmes running in your area. The following programmes have been set up to provide young people the chance to take part in new and exciting activities and participate in sport for all.
From Active Gloucestershire...
Active Gloucestershire's new Sport Skillz programme is coming to Stroud and the Forest of Dean this summer at the following venues. Click on the venue and date to find out more and book your place.
To find out more about Sport Skillz and holiday programmes run by Active Gloucestershire click here or call Alison Croad on 07770 730871.
Around the County...
There are various summer programmes organised by your local authority happening this summer.
Cotswold: The Sports Club - there are various Multi-sport camps going on all around the Cotswolds during July and August. Visit www.cotswold.gov.uk or call 01285 623447 to find out more.
Gloucester: Street Games - free multi sport activities for ages 8 years upwards taking place in a number of local park sites in Gloucester. Go along and take part in sports such as; football, tennis, cricket, basketball, rounders, tag rugby. Click here to download a flyer for more details or call 01452 396703.
Cheltenham: Cheltenham Borough Council have a fun packed programme of activities on offer for young at various locations around the borough throughout July and August. Click here to download a brochure detailing all activities on offer or call the Sports Development Team on 01242 264324.
Stroud: Kapers - children in Stroud can look forward to a fun packed summer holiday with the Kapers Play Scheme! There will be four different venues across Stroud during the summer holidays. Visit www.stroud.gov.uk/kapers or call 01453 754304 to find out more.
ACE - Activity Club for Everyone, is aimed and delivered for the benefit of children, young people and adults with physical, sensory and learning disabilities and their families. There are a number of activities available throughout the summer in Stroud. Click here to download a brochure or call 01453 754508 for more details.
Tewkesbury: Tewkesbury Borough Council have teamed up with a number of leisure providers and organisations to offer a varied summer programme. There are lots of fun sports, physical activities and creative arts sessions to take part in. To download all information for sessions in Tewkesbury click here.
Gloucestershire Hits a Century
Gloucestershire are celebrating the recent landmark achievement of 100 Accredited clubs within the County! This significant event has only been possible thanks to the hard work of countless volunteers both in clubs and sports organisations supported by professional staff from National Governing Bodies, Active Gloucestershire and Local Authorities.
The Accredited clubs have been successful in meeting the required standards set by either Sport England’s Clubmark Scheme or the Football Associations Charter Standard Award. Both accreditation schemes recognise clubs that are committed to providing safe, effective and child friendly environments for young people. Its focus on key areas of club development encourages clubs to maintain levels of club structure and organisation which signifies them as being a quality club. For further information on both of the schemes please click here.
For further information on the schemes and a full list of Accredited Clubs please visit the Clubmark and Football Association websites.
Clubmark Accreditation For Disability Clubs
It has been announced that disability sports clubs will soon be able to achieve the National Club Accreditation Scheme Clubmark. KKP (Knight Kavanagh and Page) have been working with the EFDS (English Federation of Disability Sport) to ensure that an appropriate playing programme for multi-sport disability clubs and other sports such as Boccia has been developed to form part of the criteria requirements. Active Gloucestershire will be looking to introduce the scheme locally in the future and more information will be available on the Active Gloucestershire website soon.
London 2012
There have been a number of announcements and media releases from LOCOG and Team South West over the past month or so. Below are some of the ones that have been posted on the Active Gloucestershire, London 2012 Latest News page. To read more about them click the title you are interested in below:
As some of you may have seen in the press or on the TV on July 2nd during Location, Location, Location on Channel 4, Sir Paul McCartney is spearheading the ParalympicsGB new fundraising campaign.
McCartney has given licence to use one of his most iconic songs, Live and Let Die, for the advert, directed by Luke Scott (son of Ridley). The end product is a 60 sec ‘Superhero’ inspired commercial designed to raise athlete’s profiles, the ParalympicsGB brand and raise money for the Paralympic fund.
If you missed the broadcast watch it again at www.bt.com/paralympicsGB and show your support.
Horseball
Horseball is a highly spectacular equestrian sport which can be defined as a kind of Basketball on Horseback! It is played by thousands of people across 3 different continents and Active Gloucestershire is trying locally to assist with raising the profile of this sport across the County through supporting 2 local Horseball coaches from Nenham Equestrian Centre with a grant to the value of 66% of their Level 2 course cost via the Skills Active Bursary Scheme for coaches. Further details on the Scheme will follow in our next newsletter.
Horseball pits four players, who compete on a pitch that is no more than 70 metres by 30 metres. The size of the horseball pitch means that players are always in close contact, much as in the forward play in rugby, and ensures that the game is played in short, exciting bursts. The aim of the game is to win the ball, make a minimum of three consecutive passes of the ball between at least three team-members, and to shoot it through a hoop 1 metre in diameter and 3.5 metres off the ground.
For further information about the Horseball please visit www.fihb-horseball.org
Ashleigh Bailey (pictured below) aged 15 from Lydney, is one of the lucky junior Horseball players travelling in July to Ponte de Lima in Portugal to represent Great Britain at the World FIHB European Championships. She will be competing against other International Countries such as France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal and Italy. Ashleigh is looking for sponsorship to help support her training and competitions in order to continue to compete at this level and would be elated to receive any support. We wish Ashleigh every success in Portugal and look forward to reporting on her progress in the competition. 
Good Luck Ashleigh!
Your Reports
Youth Super League
Pippa Regan and Ceri Large (Under 18's) have both been selected to be part of the new RFUW (Rugby Football Union Womens) Junior Super League Programme - a step up from the South West North Regional programme and an important step on the RFUW England Player Pathway. Pippa attends the Under 18's Gloucester Rugby Youth Talent Squad having been sponsored by Gloucester Girls Rugby (GGR) Charitable Trust Fund to do her Level 1 Rugby coaching certificate, she now helps deliver for the Under 12's programme. GGR delivers and funds the Girls Youth Talent programme on behalf of Gloucester Rugby .
Article supplied through the online Newsletter Report Submission Form by Lisa Walsh on 23-05-08
5 Gloucestershire Players Selected for England Ladies Masters Hockey
Four hockey players from Gloucestershire have just returned from playing for the England Ladies Masters hockey squads in the Home Internationals at Chelmsford HC. Angie Pearce and Karen Keating (Cheltenham HC), Sally Privett (Lansdown HC), and Mo Lawley (Gloucester HC) were all selected for the squads and have all been training recently at Cannock Hockey Club with other squad members who travel from all over the Country to attend. A fifth player Linda Bell (East Glos HC) could not play due to recovering from a knee operation.
The squads of Over 40’s, Over 45’s and Over 50’s all took part in the Home Internationals tournament with teams from Scotland and Wales also competing.
The weekend was a great success with the England O’40’s winning their tournament comfortably and the England O’50’s winning the group which comprised of England O’45’s, O’50’s and Wales O’45’s. In the final game of this group the EO’50’s beat the EO’45’s by 1 goal in a very closely contested match.
Article supplied through the online Newsletter Report Submission Form by Angie Pearce on 10-06-08
We Say Hello to...
The Gloucestershire Competition Managers Team is now complete as two more managers join Senior Competition Manager, Will Parker.
Dan Garbutt, Competition Manager for Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Gloucester
If the last 3 weeks are anything to go by it's clear that the competition manager role is going to be a busy one to say the least. As Competition Manager (CM) for Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Gloucester I work across two School Sports Partnerships (SSP's) and luckily the beginning of the role, at the start of this month, coincided with partnership review days in both of these SSP's.
This was a great opportunity to meet many of the people I will be working with, gauge some of the needs of the role in both of these areas and most of all give people the opportunity to get to know me a little. Along with my fellow CM, Ellie McCammick, and the Senior Competition Manager, Will Parker, the last week or so has been spent in identifying what needs to be done and trying to put together some initial plans for inter-school competition next year. Although in the early stages of planning, as a team, we're confident that by the time the next school year roles around we'll be in a great position to not only support the great work that is already taking place but also to help develop some new and exciting events for all young people in Gloucestershire.
E-mail: dgarbutt@christcollege.org.uk
Mobile: 07530 550589,
Office: 01242 702220 Ext 235
Ellie McCammick,
Competition Manager for Cotswolds and Stroud
I am the new competition manager covering the Cotswolds and Stroud School Sports Partnerships and am based at Cirencester Kingshill School. Our shared aim across the partnerships is too provide high quality competition and increase participation across a number of different sports. Over the past 2 weeks I have been getting out and about around both partnerships to experience the excellent work already carried out by the SSCO’s and has led to the beginning of the planning process for next year.
If you have any questions about my role or ideas for competitions in the Cotswold and Stroud area please contact me:
E-mail: emccammick@cirencesterkingshill.gloucs.sch.uk
Mobile: 07530 550520
Office: 01285 648718
We Say Goodbye to...
Jason Turner, Rugby Community Sports Coach based in the Forest of Dean. We would like to take this opportunity to wish Jason the best of luck in his new career.
