Do you remember the story about waiting forever for a bus and then three come along at once?
It has felt a bit like that since the last newsletter in which I drew attention to the work undertaken by Tewkesbury District Council, Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT), Food Vision and ourselves to submit a funding bid for the Department of Health’s Healthy Towns initiative. Just after we went to press we heard the great news that the bid had been successful and that nearly £2m would be invested in a range of activities to promote physical activity in Tewkesbury Town. More details are featured in this edition of the newsletter.
Then we heard that Gloucestershire PCT would provide £35,000 for the Active Start programme to enable us to maintain the current work in the County’s Children Centres between now and March 2009, whilst we continue to explore long term funding possibilities for extending the programme into all of the centres with both the County Council and the PCT.
We were thinking that it could not get much better until up popped Dawn Primarolo, Minister of State at the Department of Health, at the Fitness Industry Association’s Annual Conference on the 26th November. In concluding a speech to the conference she announced that the Department of Health intended to support the national network of County Sports Partnerships with £1m of funding in this financial year (08/09) to strengthen the local co-ordination of and assist in the continued delivery of physical activity. The Department also confirmed that the continued role of County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) in the seamless delivery of the local delivery of physical activity and sport would form a key plank of the Government’s future strategy for physical activity, which will be launched in January.
This announcement is a significant moment in the evolution of County Sports Partnerships as it is the first time that the Department of Health has acknowledged, recognised and invested directly in the CSP role in physical activity. We can only hope that it is a sign of things to come and will be working closely with colleagues in the PCT to ensure that efforts are aligned and complimentary. So for the past few days it has felt as if Christmas has come early.
And talking of the festive season we have just enjoyed celebrating the annual Gloucestershire Sports Awards. These continue to go from strength to strength and full coverage of the ceremony and winners is featured elsewhere.
There are still some uncertainties ahead. As we go to press we are waiting for confirmation of funding decisions from Sport England and precise details of what they will want CSPs to do in the future. In our first edition of the New Year I anticipate being able to say more about this so for the time being may I wish you and yours the compliments of the season and best wishes for a safe and prosperous New Year.
John ER Stevens
Chief Executive Officer
Active Gloucestershire
Tewkesbury Celebrates 'Healthy Community Challenge Fund' Bid Success
Tewkesbury is one of only 9 areas across the country to successfully be awarded £2.4million after an ambitious partnership bid to the Department of Health. The Tewkesbury Living for the Future project submitted the bid and was co-ordinate by Tewkesbury Borough Council, Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust, Gloucestershire County Council, Active Gloucestershire and Food Vision.
The Healthy Community Challenge Fund is part of a much bigger programme of Government led activity called Change4Life which is designed to tackle the epidemic of obesity. The money will be spent on tackling obesity and providing healthy lifestyle choices through a number of projects such as, extra school cookery classes, exercises programmes for children and parents, plots of land to grow your own fruit and vegetables, and active transport to work and school.
This is a three year (2008 - 2011) programme of activity and projects are due to start immediately with the aim of offering greater opportunities for those who live, work and visit Tewkesbury.
Councillor Gordon Shurmer, lead member for Safer, Stronger and Healthier Communities at Tewkesbury Borough Council, said "We want to see a real culture change through stronger partnership, the creation of healthy workplaces and by encouraging more people to participate in physical activity as well as taking an interest in healthy eating and food production."
Rhiannon Herbert, Head of Community Sports Development and Investment at Active Gloucestershire who was also involved in the bid process said, "This is a fantastic opportunity that can make a real difference. Health and well-being is something that affects everyone and being able to create a culture where making healthy choices become a way of life is really exciting. I and my colleagues at Active Gloucestershire look forward to working with the project team to ensure that the Tewkesbury community gains as much benefit as possible from this opportunity”.
Unsung Heroes of Gloucestershire Sport Celebrated at Annual Awards Ceremony
Winners of the 2008 Gloucestershire Sports Awards received their trophies from special guest Sharron Davies last week at Cheltenham Racecourse in front of an audience of over 160 people.
The annual event gives recognition to the tireless, dedication of inspirational coaches, clubs, volunteers, officials and teachers that are the lifeblood of sport in the county. This year saw a record number of nominations sent in to the Active Gloucestershire office which shows support for the people behind the scenes. Nominations were received for people who undertake roles such as collecting subs, keeping club records up to date, ensuring goals are in place before a match as well as those who judge and officiate, coach and teach.
On the evening of Thursday 27th November all shortlisted nominees and their guests took there seats to find out who would walk away with this years awards. Sharron Davies opened the presentation ceremony with an inspirational speech about her career as a swimmer and who the most influential people were in her becoming so successful as a performer. Sharron said "It was a real pleasure to hand out the awards to so many well deserved people who make sport work here in Gloucestershire. They are the sort of people that sport can't do without and unsung hero's to so many young sporting champions and participants of the future."
2008 Winners are:
- Young Peoples Coach of the Year:
- Disability Sports Coach of the Year, sponsored by The Rotary Club of Gloucester Severn:
- Rookie Coach of the Year:
- Performance Coach of the Year, sponsored by Willans solicitors:
- Junior Club of the Year:
- Painswick Lawn Tennis Club
- Adult Club of the Year:
- Disability Sporting Opportunity of the Year:
- Junior Performance Club of the Year:
- Cheltenham County Harriers
- Adult Performance Club of the Year:
- Gloucester Masters Swimming Club
- Junior Volunteer of the Year:
- Senior Volunteer of the Year:
- Junior Official of the Year:
- Senior Official of the Year:
- Secondary PE Teacher of the Year, sponsored by Gloucestershire County Council:
- Primary PE/Sports Teacher of the Year, sponsored by Gloucestershire County Council:
- HSBC Outstanding Services to Sport in Gloucestershire:
For further details on each winner along with quotes from the evening please click here, where you can also view photos taken by John Ryan (University of Gloucestershire).
More details on the Gloucestershire Sports Awards 2008 and photos of the evening can be found on the Active Gloucestershire website by clicking here.
Harriet Pearce Selected for the GB Youth Olympic Squad
Harriet Pearce (19) has been selected by The British Olympic Association to participate in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) in Sydney, from 14 – 18th January 2009. She has been selected for the GB hockey squad, which is part of the 119 strong Team GB, that will participate in 11 of the 15 Olympic sports in this U21 competition. 1600 athletes from 24 other countries will also be present at this prestigious event.
Harriet started her hockey career at Woodmancote Primary school and Cheltenham Junior Hockey Association and then continued at Cleeve School & Cheltenham Hockey Club before leaving for Bath University.
She first represented England at U16, progressing through to U18’s and is now part of the England U21 training squad and National Performance Centre and Harriet now represents Clifton Hockey Club in England’s Premier Division.
As part of the build up for the AYOF, the hockey squad will travel to Spain from 17th- 22nd December for training and matches in preparation.
We would like to wish Harriet all the best of luck in Spain and Australia!
An Exciting Opportunity to Represent Mancap in Switzerland
Nominations are invited from footballers wishing to take part in the National Mencap football trials at Warwick University on Sunday 3rd February 2008.
Fifteen players will be selected to represent Mencap in Switzerland for a European football tournament. The squad will fly to Geneva on Thursday 28th May and return on Monday 1st June 2009.
Click here to find out how to apply.
Millions Across England to Enjoy Free Swimming...
82% of councils sign up in major drive to get England more active.
More than twenty million people aged 16 and under and over 60 will be able to swim for free from next April. The £140million Government Scheme is a key part of the plans to leave a lasting legacy from London 2012, giving people up and down the country more opportunities to get active.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham said:
"Getting people more active is vital to the health of the nation and to tackling obesity. With 2012 approaching, now is the time for big ideas to help people make a change in their lifestyle. Swimming is fun and has universal appeal, and yet charges can deter people. 2009 is the year to get your trunks on!"
Local authorities in Gloucestershire offering free swimming to the over 60s only are as follows:
For more information on the scheme click here.
We Say Goodbye to...
Kelly Conibere who will be leaving us over the Christmas and New Year break to start work as Playwork Training Administrator on January 5th. She will not be goin far however as the Playwork Partnership is also based at the University of Gloucestershire, Oxstalls Campus.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Kelly for her hard work over the past four years and wish her all the best of luck for her future.
