Sport England Update

Sport England consultation re ‘shaping the future of sport’ - last few weeks to have your day

The deadline for responses is 10 September and you can respond either individually or by organisation. All responses will be considered as part of the process to prepare Sport England’s new framework for sport that will set the direction up to and beyond the 2012 Games. Sport England will then produce a strategy for the period 2008- 2011, and there will regional strategies developed in line with this to reflect regional issues.

The survey can be accessed by clicking here to view.

If you have any queries regarding the consultation please email: shapingthefuture@sportengland.org

Sport England West Midlands Conference
23 November at Dunchurch Park Hotel and Conference Centre.

Regional consultation day on refreshing the regional plan for sport for SEWM, RSB, CSPs, and all key partner agencies. More information will be circulated next month - a date to note in your diary please!

Government’s 10 Year Youth Strategy published

Aiming high for young people: a ten year strategy for positive activities - click here to view the Government's strategy.

British Youth Council Welcomes Government’s 10 Year Strategy

The British Youth Council (BYC) welcomed the launch of Aiming high for young people: a ten year strategy for positive activities, the government’s new ten year youth strategy which aims to transform opportunities for young people in England by improving facilities and services across the country.

BYC’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Jo Field said: "BYC is pleased that the youth offer recognises the challenges faced by young people today growing up in a culture where negative perceptions of youth are widespread.

"We are delighted that the ten year strategy references research evidence from our Respect? campaign and acknowledges that negative perceptions and frustration at feeling they are not listened to can often act as a barrier to young people’s participation in services."

Government policy - information for all volunteer leads/SIS leads to note

Gordon Brown used his first major public speech as Prime Minister to commit £515m to a raft of measures designed to boost the third sector’s partnership with government and its ability to build a stronger civic society.

The PM committed funds totalling £515m over the next three years to a range of initiatives, voiced his support for the sector’s campaigning and community action role, and announced the creation of an annual global forum on social leadership.

The plans are part of the long-awaited Cabinet Office/Treasury review of the role of the third sector in social and economic regeneration, which sets out the government’s plans for working with the sector over the next ten years and followed its biggest ever consultation with the sector.

Included in the new pledges were:

£117m for youth volunteering, building on the work of youth volunteering charity v, to create a national youth community service for Britain

£85m for training and support for frontline groups, delivered through Capacity builders

A new £50m match fund to help local community foundations develop endowments to secure their grant-making, on top of the £80m small grants programme announced in the Budget.

Liam Byrne, Minister for WM

Speech made in August - click here to view

Jowell Praises Opportunty of Olympics

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell last week celebrated one year to the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing by pledging to learn from the Chinese experience. She hailed the Games as a unique challenge for both countries - but one offering unprecedented opportunities and a legacy for generations to come.

Following a visit to Beijing last September, Tessa Jowell said she was keen to visit China again later this year, to see progress first-hand and to share news of London's preparations for 2012. The visit last year included meetings with Liu Qi, President of the Beijing Organising Committee, and Deng Pufang, who chairs China's Disabled Persons Federation - as well as talks with government officials about the Cultural Olympiad and media freedom. Click here for further information.

New Plans for Cycling in London

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, announced that he has asked Transport for London to examine the feasibility of bicycle hire scheme to promoting cycling in London. The Mayor recently saw at first hand the successful 'Velib' - Freedom bike - hire scheme introduced by the Mayor of Paris, which has enjoyed great success since its launch a few weeks ago.

Transport for London have been asked to look at international best practice in promoting cycling, including hire schemes like that of Paris, with a view to introducing a scheme which meets the specific needs of London. Cycling groups and other stakeholders will be consulted on the options.

A London scheme would require the support of London Boroughs, as well as the Mayor, as most London roads are controlled by the boroughs.

The Paris scheme offers 10,000 bicycles sited at 750 dedicated hire-points every 300 metres around Paris, with plans for 20,000 bikes at 1,400 hire points by the end of the year. The bikes are available at any time of the day or night and cost about 70 pence to hire for half an hour. Theft is minimal because of the unique design of the bicycles, their highly secure parking facilities and because payment is via credit or debit card. If a bicycle is not returned the hirer is charged around £100. Click here for further information.

Culture – seeking ambassadors

‘Culture West Midlands (CWM) - the body that represents the arts, sports, heritage, and tourism sectors in the West Midlands - is looking for leading lights from across the West Midlands to drive cultural growth and ensure that the region benefits from the London 2012 Olympic Games.’ Closing date: Friday 14 September 2007. Click here to read press release.

ISPAL Culture Shock Seminar, 2 October 2007

Achieving community-wide impact with cultural services one-day seminar, 2 October 2007 at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry.I The ISPAL Culture Shock Seminar, a leading edge one-day national seminar being held on 2 October 2007 tackling the fundamental changes occurring in local government today including: that we hope may be of interest to you.
Click here to have a look at the event flyer.

RegenWM e-bulletin

August edition - click here to view.

WM Public Health Talk

Extract from Issue 32 , July 207 - re Closing the Gap project - click here to view

WMRO - tendering opportunity

The Skills Team of the West Midlands Regional Observatory would like to invite expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced organisations to undertake research on a project on Graduate Employment Research which is the examination of the issues affecting attraction, retention and employment of graduates in the West Midlands Region.

Please click here for more details.

Please forward this information to anyone you think it may be of interest to. Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact Helena Duignan at helena.duignan@wmro.org

Active People Survey

Small area estimate maps by LA - now on SE website -arranged alphabetically under each regional page. Click here to view.

STRI - guidance notes relating to flooding

Guidelines for flooded turf - click here to view

Infection alert re flood waters - click here to view

SE Equality Scheme Consultation

To view the draft SE equality scheme (click here) and action plan (click here). Please click here to submit your response. The closing date for comments is 10 October.

Respect Athlete Mentoring Programme (RAMP), part of the Government’s RESPECT agenda

The scheme is a mentoring programme for local schools and community groups, utilising inspirational elite sports people as mentors. Supported by Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust, it aims to improve the lives of young people through sport in target neighbourhoods. Click here to read more.

In the WM - Birmingham and Sandwell are part of the programme.

Also to note that Nick Gillingham (swimmer), a former WM RSB member, is one of the athlete mentors.

Big Lottery Fund awards news

Young people across the West Midlands will soon be getting physical with £835,560 awarded by the Big Lottery Fund to five school partnerships to provide out of hours sporting activities. The projects will particularly target young people that need extra encouragement to participate in sports, including those with special needs.

The funding comes from the Big Lottery Fund’s £74.2 million Out of School Hours Learning: School Sports Co-ordinators programme that helps to establish partnerships to offer extra curriculum sport and physical activities to improve health, motivate, build self-esteem and increase social skills of young people. Today’s funding package across England totals £4,898,171. Click here to read the press release which includes details on Chesterton Community Sports College, Robert Sutton Catholic Sports College and Rawlett Community Sports College.

Awards for All - August latest announcements.

History of a Staffordshire town is captured on cloth for posterity and more - click here to view.

Skillsactive Funding Newsletter

July 207 Issue- some very useful information on funding sources: click here to view

CCPR

Euro update Aug 2007 - click here to view.

CCPR CEOs e-Forum

This month’s newsletter features information on:

1. A new online leadership programme by NCVO offering practical support to help chairs and chief executives.
2. CCPR’s business support helpline offering advice on a range of issues including tax, payroll, employment and personnel.
3. An Equality and Diversity Forum focussing on the positive action in tackling disadvantage.

Please view - click here.

Looking for a touch of sporting class - research article

Is it possible to determine people's place in society by the sports they choose to play and watch? Or are we becoming increasingly classless when it comes to competitive sport, exercise and cultural pursuits? The answer according to new research is complex, with sporting and cultural preferences partly dependent on class but also age and gender.

Pamela Readhead explains:
The games people play - football, darts, polo or golf - have traditionally been seen as a clue to much more than their level of physical fitness or courage. Some sports, like rowing, horse riding and lacrosse are immediately associated with privilege. Others, like bowls or greyhound racing, are not
Click here to read the full research article.

2012 Roadshows in the West Midlands

Two dates:

15 August - at the Main Event, Rowley Park Stafford
26 August , at the UK School Games, Warwick University Campus

Click here to read the regional partners’ press release:

2012 Roadshow - post event report

Please view the news report from the event on Sunday 26 August - click here. A big 'thank you' to all involved on the day !

2012 Activity calendar

Latest edition - click here to view.

Hydro Active Women’s Challenge - one in Birmingham on 16 September 2007

Whatever your age, fitness levels or running ability, signing up to take part in the Hydro Active Women’s Challenge is a great incentive to keep fit and feel healthier. There are no hard and fast rules, you can walk, jog or run so gather all your mums, sisters, daughters, aunties, nieces and girlfriends and sign up today! Imagine the feeling when you cross the finish line, you can feel great about what you have achieved for Breakthrough Breast Cancer - TOGETHER! This year the Hydro Active Women’s Challenge will take place on September 16th in London’s Hyde Park, Birmingham City Centre and Liverpool’s Sefton Park. Click here for more details.

Baseball and Softball in the West Midlands

An update from the sport - click here to view.

Midlands Women's and Girls Cricket Update - click here to view Issue 2 - July 07.

Message from Sue Redfern re this newsletter : "To contribute to this newsletter please send through info to me when you can" Email : Sue.Redfern@ecb.co.uk

Women's Cricket in Staffordshire - Summer 2007 newsletter. Click here to view.

Tennis Foundation - new body

The new Tennis Foundation supports and promotes community tennis across Great Britain and is committed to bringing together all the various bodies and tennis charities into a single foundation.
Click here to read the full details.

Judo - 2007 Fighting Films GB World Cup for Men, 22 & 23 September.

Press release extract:
‘British Judo has today confirmed that 30 countries will compete in the 2007 Fighting Films GB World Cup for Men, which will take place at the Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena on the 22 & 23 September.

Around 200 competitors will entertain the crowds over the two days at this British hosted Olympic qualifier, which is likely to be the last time that many of Britain’s Olympic stars compete on home soil before Beijing.’

Click here to read more.

New Chair for Birmingham CSP

The new Chair for Birmingham Sport and Physical Activity Partnership has been confirmed as Councillor Ray Hassall.

Job vacancy in Sport

PA-WM Co-ordinator: - closing date: 7 Sept

Click here to view the advert and here to view the job description.

Job Vacancy - Regional Programme Director

‘Living Well in the West Midlands’ - closing date 21 September:

Click here to view the job advert

Regional Rounders Officer - National Rounders Association

Part time post - 21 hours per week - note that based in London.
NRA application forms, job description and person specification are available for download from the NRA website www.nra-rounders.co.uk in the news section. Closing date is 10 September 2007.

Click here to return to the newsletter