Welcome to our June newsletter,
With summer clearly here there is no better time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. With Tewkesbury providing fun ways to be healthy, national school sports week, a spot of polo at Beaufort, a chance to try your hand at orienteering and new disability sports clubs running each week there is lots going on in Gloucestershire this month.
We are always keen to feature your stories and projects so please do not hesitate to send them through to us at activegloucestershire@glos.ac.uk.
Thanks for all your support and lets hope the sunshine is here to stay!
John Stevens
Chief Executive
Further Funding for Sport Unlimited 2009-2010
Following the open bids process in November 2008 there is a £35,000 remaining for Sport Unlimited projects in year 2. Active Gloucestershire are looking for projects that will run for between 8 and 10 weeks in the following terms;
- Autumn (September 2009 - December 2009).
- Spring (January 2010 - March 2010).
Organisations, clubs and individuals (providers) are welcome to bid for the remaining funding between the 11th June and the 11th September 2009.
For more details on Sport Unlimited funding and how to apply click here.
County Athlete Assessment Day 2009
Following a number of Gloucestershire ‘Identifying Ability Days’ 70 disabled athletes have been identified to take part in the County Athlete Assessment Day on the 10th July 2009 at Leisure @ Cheltenham. Athletes will have the opportunity to trial in Athletics, Boccia, Swimming, Football, Table Tennis and Wheelchair Basketball.
The Identifying Ability Days took place around the county in February and March with secondary aged pupils. From these events pupils have been selected to attend the County Athlete Assessment Day in July.
The National Governing Bodies for all the sports have been involved in the organisation of the event and will be running the sessions in order to talent spot the young people involved. Local clubs and coaches will also be involved in the event supporting the sessions.
Anne Andersen who has been coordinating the programme of events said 'There have been a number of athletes involved in the local assessments and it is great to now see so many of them at the assessment day. I would like to wish all the athletes the best of luck.’
Will Parker the Senior Competition Manager for Gloucestershire said 'I have been fully involved in the event and the identifying ability days. It has been great to see the numerous talented players of Gloucestershire and the athletes for the future and potentially the 2012 Paralympics.'
Active Gloucestershire are also looking for volunteers to support the event on the day. If you would like to be involved on the day please contact Anne directly to find out more.
For further details on the County Athlete Assessment day and how to get involved contact Anne Andersen on 01242 715201 or aandersen@glos.ac.uk.
Gloucestershire Football Association Trials
On Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd July the Gloucestershire Football Association (GFA) will be running trials for the Disability Centre of Excellence. Trials will be running on the 1st July at the GFA head quarters in Almondsbury and on 2nd July at the University of Gloucestershire Oxstalls Campus. Both of the trail evenings will encompass players from Gloucestershire, Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
Trials for under 14's (aged 10 - 14years) will be running 6pm - 7pm with an under 17's trial taking place 7.30 - 8.30pm at both venues on respective evenings. The GFA are specifically looking for young people who have learning difficulties, cerebral palsy / physical impairments, and sensory impairments (including visual and hearing impairments). The GFA are currently not able to support blind and wheelchair users in the Disability Centre of Excellence but please contact Paul Arnold the Disability Development Officer for further opportunities for these players .
If you would like to be involved in the trials please contact Paul Arnold on 01242 715192 or 07961 064979. Alternatively please e-mail Paul on parnold@glos.ac.uk.
Gloucestershire Youth Games for SEN pupils
Schools have been invited to register pupils for the Special Educational Needs Gloucestershire Youth Games (SEN GYG) running on the 23rd September 2009. Pupils from Years 5 - 9 will have the opportunity to take part in a number of sports including trampolining, boccia, hockey, dance , tri golf and many more.
The SEN GYG has been successfully running for five years with pupils from mainstream and SEN schools around Gloucestershire taking part. This year we are expecting around 250 pupils to attend the event with even more schools getting involved. All sports are run by qualified coaches and in most cases clubs that are based within the county. This provides opportunities for the young people to continue with the sport by joining the local club after trying out the sport.
Anne Andersen the Development Team Leader for Active Inclusion said 'The SEN Gloucestershire Youth Games is a brilliant event where young people from all over the county can get involved in different sports and activities. It is also great to see new and old clubs taking part in the event.'
The event is also looking for more volunteers to support on the day. For further details on the event and how to get involved contact Anne Andersen on 01242 715201 or aandersen@glos.ac.uk.
PE & School Sport Conference 2009 - Playing Your Part: The 5 Hour Offer
The 2009 PE & School Sport Conference will be returning to the Oxstalls Campus of the University of Gloucestershire on Thursday 2nd July 2009. The theme of this years conference is ‘Playing Your Part: The 5 Hour Offer’.
The PE conference is designed for school staff and other adults involved in delivering sport and physical activity with children and young people. It is a great opportunity to network, find out about new initiatives and trends, and visit stalls from leading sports equipment and training providers in the country.
The event will see key note speakers David Keeling and John Potter. David Keeling is a professional actor and educationalist. He has developed a particular niche in working with disaffected students, helping to develop confidence, motivation and brain skills. John Potter is a trained engineer, musician and hostage negotiator. As an international consultant and business psychologist he has a wealth of expertise upon which he can draw.
The PE conference as well as providing speakers will be hosting a market place, wokshops, seminars and networking opportunities. The market place will see a multitude of leading companies and organisations whom provide resources and services in the area of PE, school and club sport, and physical activity.
University of Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire Constabulary Host Primary Football Competition
On the 10th June the University of Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire Constabulary hosted a primary football competition at Oxstalls Campus in Gloucester. Over 80 young people were involved in the event from 8 local Gloucester primary schools. Jim Hart (Onside Football development Officer) and Martin Lees, Active Glouestershire (Inclusion Community Sports Coach) supported Gloucestershire Constabulary with the setting up of the event. Gloucestershire Constabulary officiated all of the matches throughout the day and organised the groups for the event.
The project will see coaching at each of the primary schools starting in September 2009 with a league structure or tournament supporting the coaching of the players.
For more details on this event contact Jim Hart on 07901 850934 or e-mail him at jahart@glos.ac.uk.
Family Fun and Fitness Time
On the 6th June Active Gloucestershire's Active Start team launched 'Family Fun and Fitness Time' at Finlay Childrens Centre. Over a course of 6 weeks parents and children will take part in fun activites providing parents with ideas of how they can be physically active with their children.
For more details on this project please contact Mike Squire on 01242 715396. For more details on Active Start please click here.
Teenagers - Find Out If They're Healthy
The Department of Health has created a free, online lifestyle self-assessment service to help teenagers improve their health and wellbeing.
NHS Teen LifeCheck uses an engaging and interactive quiz to offer health and lifestyle information to 12-15 year olds. This is an online tool which guides young people through a set of completely confidential, simple multiple choice questions and then gives them tailored advice on how they can set goals to improve their lifestyles.
Gillian Merron, Public Health Minister, said: "Teenage years can be a difficult enough time without having to worry about your health. NHS Teen LifeCheck is a quick and easy way of checking your health which gives simple advice on how to be healthier. We've worked with young people to develop an effective and accessible service which is completely confidential."
The online tool offers information on a range of issues including physical activity, nutrition, solvents and illegal drugs, sexual health, alcohol and smoking. NHS Teen LifeCheck also covers emotional wellbeing - with advice and top tips about stress, bullying, relationships and self-esteem as well as providing links to support services.
The advice given includes 'how to' videos with lifestyle tips from other teenagers who have taken an NHS LifeCheck themselves.
NHS Teen LifeCheck has been developed in consultation with a wide range of health professionals and research experts, as well as being tested by young people themselves. It is non-judgmental, totally confidential and no identifying data is kept. Primarily aimed at 12-15 year olds, it has already been successfully promoted in 83 local areas across the country.
Jessica Aspey, 13, a year nine pupil at Highfields School in Matlock, Derbyshire said, "I didn't used to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables because I preferred chocolate and crisps. I went on the NHS Teen LifeCheck website and really liked it. I learned how to be healthy, and stay healthy."
NHS Teen LifeCheck is one of three NHS LifeCheck services. NHS Early Years LifeCheck, aimed at parents and carers of five - eight month old babies and NHS Mid-life LifeCheck, aimed at 45-60 year olds, are being rolled out nationally later this year.
To find out more on the LifeCheck services click here.
Gloucester Rugby Onside Sucess
80 young people have risen to the challenge posed by a ground-breaking programme which uses rugby as the cornerstone to provide them with a brighter future. The programme entitled ‘Onside’, is a unique initiative that has been developed by a partnership created between Gloucester Rugby Club and Prospect Training Services (PTS) and funded by Wooden Spoon, TNT Express Services and Sport England.
The Gloucester Rugby Community Team combine practical rugby-playing skills with classroom-based exercises focusing on healthy living workshops and life skills. The teenagers also spend time in the gym at the Kingsholm stadium taking part in aggression management sessions exploring ways of controlling explosive behavior, examining the causes of anger and coping with emotions. Prospect Training Services are also responsible for the co-ordination and assessment of the course.
British Lions, England and Gloucester Rugby star Mike Tindall, along with the Gloucester coaching staff, have taken the first group of fourty 16-18 year olds under their wing for the eight-week long course with three specific objectives:
- To encourage participation in rugby by young people as a tool to improving their lives
- To improve confidence, communication, physical fitness and self worth in all participants to help them into education, employment or training
- To provide a life skills and social development programme utilising rugby as a sport and a business that is underpinned by qualifications under the Qualifications and Curriculum Framework
Gary Little, Gloucester Rugby Community Manager, said: “The Onside programme has proven to be hugely successful. The project has brought together a number of agencies and in doing so we have developed a programme with which the young people have certainly engaged. We hope with ongoing support and funding we can continue to deliver the scheme next season and in seasons to come.”
With the two initial eight week courses successfully completed, Mike Tindall commented: “In many ways I grew up in an area not too dissimilar to Gloucester - there were plenty of distractions available to kids who didn't have a focus on their lives or communities. But through sport and rugby in particular, I found a drive and energy to focus on something extremely positive in my life. In many ways rugby mirrors life - it gives you the chance to learn, express yourself, test yourself and make friends - that is exactly what Onside aims to achieve.”
For more details on the Onside programme click here.
Come and have a go at Orienteering
As part of the links between the University of Gloucestershire and North Gloucestershire Orienteering Club the club have organised a number of Youth Events throughout July. All of the events will be running at the University of Gloucestershire’s Oxstalls Campus.
The July events are:
- July 1st. Event within Oxstalls Campus – Orienteering around the Oxstalls Campus
- July 8th. Street Event around Oxstalls Campus – Street orienteering starting at the Oxstalls Campus
- July 15th. Event within Oxstalls Campus – Orienteering around the Oxstalls campus
- July 22nd. Have fun improving your O-skills! (within Oxstalls Campus)
- July 29th. Street Event from Oxstalls Campus - Street orienteering starting at the Oxstalls Campus
Sessions are running 6.30 - 8pm with a charge of £1 for adults and children are free. So why not come along and have a go!!
For further information contact Greg Best on 01242 516053 or email captain@ngoc.org.uk. Further details on the event and the North Gloucestershire Orienteering Club can be found by clicking here.
Tewkesbury Count Me In!
There’s something special happening in Tewkesbury. Around the corner, just up the road or even in the house next door, the people of Tewkesbury are uniting for a better, healthier future.
The Count Me In! campaign is aimed at inspiring local residents of all ages to take part in a series of themed activities focussed on Food and Nutrition, The Environment and Physical Activity.
Tewkesbury residents are being encouraged to get active through a Government-funded scheme promoting healthy living in the town. You can get healthy stood side-by-side with your children, your parents, even your neighbours – it is not just for you, but for all of you!
A programme of events and activities has been created with fantastic opportunities to access a new cycle route, family walking days, exercise events, nutritional guidance and even tips and tricks on how to eat healthily without breaking the bank.
The scheme has three goals:
- to help residents get to grips with healthy eating, from grow-your-own advice to cookery demonstrations
- to promote the use of legs and bikes instead of cars – clearing up the air we breathe as well as the congestion on our roads
- to prove that getting healthy is not a chore – it’s fun and can be enjoyed by all of the family – from cycle routes to swim classes to pensioners’ Tai Chi and toddler gyms – there is something for all ages and abilities.
So far the Count Me In! campaign has been on hand at the annual Tewkesbury Food Festival with information on the project, and ran three cycle events during National Bike Week (June 13 -21) showing how easy and cost effective it can be riding to work instead of driving.
Active Gloucestershire in partnership with Tewkesbury Borough Council are leading on the physical activity theme and will be developing fun and innovative ways to get more active.
For more information on the Count Me In! campaign click here.
Gloucestershire Hosts Nine Multi Sports Clubs
Gloucestershire now has nine Multi Sports Clubs for disabled people. The first Multi Sports Club was launched in 2005 in Stroud under the name of ACE (Ability Club for Everyone). Since then the number of clubs across the county has increased with each club having a similar theme and pricing structure to provide disabled people with the opportunity to participate in a multi sport activities.
The following venues run Multi Sports Clubs for young people;
- University of Gloucestershire’s, Oxstalls Campus, Gloucester.
- GL1, Gloucester.
- Pickernash Primary School, Newent, Forest of Dean.
- Five Acres Leisure Centre, Forest of Dean.
- Leisure @ Cheltenham, Cheltenham
- Stratford Park Leisure Centre, Stroud
- Bourton On The Water, North Cotswolds.
The following venues run Multi Sports Clubs for adults;
- Leisure @ Cheletenham, Cheltenham
- Stratford Park Leisure Centre, Stroud
For details on any of the above clubs or to register your interest please contact Anne Andersen on 01242 715201 or aandersen@glos.ac.uk.
Next On The Agenda For Change4Life
Change4Life, the lifestyle revolution launched earlier this year to help combat obesity, announced an exciting schedule of monthly activities to encourage families and kids to eat well, move more, live longer and above all, have fun!
With 9 out of 10 kids growing up with dangerous amounts of fat in their bodies which could lead to life-threatening diseases like cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, Change4Life takes action and helps encourage lifestyles changes for a healthier nation. Over the next few months, Change4Life will be running the following activities supported by online tips, advice and useful toolkits for families and local community groups.
During Bike Week (13th – 21st June) Bike4Life created an excellent opportunity for the whole family to get out and about to explore the local community and take part in some physical activity. With research showing the cost of the ‘school run’ setting parents back by almost £400 per school child per year, Bike4Life month is a good time to ditch the car and take on the bike! JULY sees the launch of Swim4Life, a great way for families to cool off and get active over the summer.
Change4Life’s recent survey from ‘How are the Kids?’ shows that over 45 per cent of kids watch TV or play non-active video games before school. Now is the time to get outdoors and enjoy a run around! Coinciding with Play England’s National Play Day (5th August), the month of August is set to encourage children, young people and communities to enjoy playing at locally organised events across the UK in Play4Life.
Finally, the AUTUMN will see the launch of two more fun and interactive activities, Cook4Life and Dance4Life. Details on how you can get kids involved with healthy recipe ideas whilst donning their dancing shoes and taking part in some fancy foot work will be available soon.
To find out more on the Change4Life Campaigns click here.
Change to Sporting Champions Visits
In the past few months the partnership of Creating Excellence and the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust has successfully secured the contract to deliver Sporting Champions on behalf of Sport England for the next two years.
Through a period of consultation with County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) and Champions, the scheme has been aligned with the new strategy, specifically focussing on the Five Hour Offer, contributing mostly towards supporting Sport Unlimited targets. The aspiration is for the Champions to be able to build long-term sustainable relationships with young people and their sporting network to support CSPs with their targets of raising participation in semi-sporty young people.
Going forwards Sporting Champions will work closely with targeted CSPs across the country to complement and add value to the Sport Unlimited programme, it is hoped this will in turn help achieve higher participation rates in young people.
In light of the schemes’ restructure Sporting Champions will no longer support one off events.
For further details on the Sporting Champions programme click here.
Beaufort Polo Club’s Fundraiser
Beaufort Polo Club is gearing up for an amazing day of polo, auctions, live music and divot-treading on Saturday 4th July, to raise vital funds for the Brooke, the UK’s leading charity for working horses and donkeys overseas.
The beautiful Cotswold club is offering the quintessential polo experience – including find-a-cork-win-a-bottle-of-wine and, of course, divot-treading - to raise £25,000 for the Brooke. The money raised will help the Brooke fund a new and much-needed mobile veterinary clinic vehicle in Lahore, Pakistan.
Sharon Schofield, Interim Director of Fundraising at the Brooke says, “Beaufort’s fundraising polo day is a special event to celebrate Brooke’s 75th anniversary and we want lots of people to join us. It will be a great day out where friends will experience something really unique at a relaxed and friendly club set in beautiful countryside. You don’t even need to be a polo expert as there is a demonstration before the match begins! Everyone who comes will be helping the Brooke to buy a brand new vehicle for its mobile vet team in Lahore, Pakistan. Our team of experts will able to reach poor communities equipped with everything they need to stop the suffering of thousands of hardworking horses and donkeys in Lahore, Pakistan for a whole year.”
This year the Brooke celebrates its 75th anniversary. From its humble beginnings in Cairo in 1934, the Brooke has gone from strength to strength. Last year we reached 700,000 working horses and donkeys – and it’s our goal to increase the number of working animals we can help to 2 million a year by 2016!
The Brooke’s lifesaving work includes networks of mobile veterinary teams and field clinics that provide care and treatment along with education and training, to help teach communities how to care for the animals on which their lives depend. By ensuring the animals are healthy, happy and fit for work, the millions of people who rely on their animals to survive can earn a living and put food on the table.
For ticket enquires and for more information on this event click here.
