County Sports Partnership Update

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SASSOT Receives Annual Achievement Award from SEWM

SASSOT are delighted to be able to announce that at the West Midlands Regional Sports Board meeting on 11 September 2007, Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent were awarded the Sport England West Midlands' County Sports Partnership 2006/2007 Recognition Award for Annual Achievements.

The award was made on the basis of the partnership�s performance and delivery against the Performance Framework.

SASSOT Director, Mark Thornewill received a trophy and a cheque for �5,000 for delivery of a programme, to be agreed with Sport England, to increase participation in Sport and Active Recreation in the sub region.

Mark commented, �The award marks the culmination of a very successful first year of operation and a great team effort by all involved with SASSOT. We must now consolidate upon our work so far and develop it further. We can look to some challenging times ahead and hope we can continue to maintain the momentum already achieved through the close collaboration of the board, its champions, the core and wider team members, and our partners. Thank you for your support in the achievement of the award. Well done everyone!�

For more information contact:
Mark Thornewill
Tel: 01785 619896
Email: mthornewill@staffordbc.gov.uk

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SASSOT Receives Equity Award

Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent is pleased to announce that it has achieved the Preliminary Level of the Equality Standard � A Framework for Sport Accreditation.

Mark Thornewill was delighted with the achievement commenting, �The work of the Equity Group has been key to the Partnership achieving the standard and I want to say congratulations and a big thank you for their hard work and support of the Partnership. Delivery of our Equity Action Plan is a priority target for the Partnership and I look forward to our continued working relationship to implement the plan in order to widen access to sport and active recreation.�

The Partnership�s Access Across Staffordshire�s funding scheme is still open for applications. The fund is open to Local Authorities and National Governing Bodies of Sport who require financial assistance to support or develop a new project which has an equality theme and fits into one of the target categories. The closing date is 8^th October for the first round of applications.

 

For more information contact:
Jason Britton
Tel: 01785 619599
Email: jbritton@staffordbc.gov.uk

 

To read September's edition of the Equality Standard for Sport newsletter, click here.

 

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Disability Research Results

The results of the disability research undertaken by Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire County Council are now available.

Over 800 responses were received from the 6,000 pupils with special needs from both special and mainstream schools, with two thirds of the respondents being male.

The report highlighted that good levels of participation exist and can provide a foundation upon which to build. The majority of activity currently undertaken was of an informal nature, mostly at weekends and in informal settings � with friends in the garden for example. With regard to what respondents would like to do in the future, there is a willingness to do more activity and in a more structured way � at youth clubs, sports centres etc both after school time and during summer holidays.

The most common response to the question of what would help the respondent to do more activity was an understanding of the participant�s disability.

The full report and data will be distributed to the Sports Development Officers of each local authority, national governing body of sport representatives Sport England West Midlands and the English Federation of Disability Sport.

Full details of the results are available on the SASSOT website by clicking here

For more information contact:
Jason Britton
Tel: 01785 619599
Email: jbritton@staffordbc.gov.uk

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RSB Rows into Staffordshire

Trentham Boat Club was host to members of the West Midlands Regional Sports Board on Tuesday 11th September. 

Organised in conjunction with SASSOT, a few plucky members of the Board and Sport England staff took to the water to try their hand at rowing. Their efforts were ably supported by the British Under 14 champions from Trentham High School and coaches Darren Barton and Nick Barr.

Sport England Regional Director, Steve Town, is pictured trying his hand at sculling.

Members of the Board then held their quarterly meeting, joined by representatives from the Staffordshire, Shropshire, Black Country, Hereford / Worcestershire, Derbyshire, Birmingham and Warwickshire County Sport Partnerships.  

Everybody was enthused by the growth of rowing and canoeing in Stoke and how this links to local priorities to improve health, fitness and sporting opportunities across the region. 

Pictured above: J14 Girls Quad from Trentham Boat Club
- GB Champions 2007
with Mark Thornewill, CSP Partnership Director

For more information contact:
Mark Thornewill
Tel: 01785 619896
Email: mthornewill@staffordbc.gov.uk

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Sporting Champions - visits still available

Would the young people at your organisation benefit from a visit from a world-class athlete?

Sporting Champions visits are still available to be used in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. If you have an event which centres on increasing participation in community sport, school & club links or leadership & volunteering, we want to know about it!

Sporting Champions can give the young people at your organisation the boost they need to make physical activity a regular part of their lifestyle.

How to apply - simply complete the attached form (click here to download) and return to Leigh Morton  lmorton@staffordbc.gov.uk . Your request will then be submitted to Sporting Champions who will thereafter liaise with you direct regarding the outcome and visit arrangements.

This is a fantastic opportunity - don't miss it!!

For more information contact:
Leigh Morton 
Tel: 01785 619349 
Email: lmorton@staffordbc.gov.uk

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Events Calendar ... is yours listed ?

Do you have any key sporting events that you would like to be included on our Events Calendar? If so, click here to access the template and fill in your event details along the lines of the Tennis example. Then simply return the template to Leigh Morton and your event will be available for all to see.

To view the Events Calendar to see what's currently on offer click here.

For more information contact:
Leigh Morton 
Tel: 01785 619349 
Email: lmorton@staffordbc.gov.uk

 

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Opportunity to join the SASSOT Coaches Database

In conjunction with NGB�s, Local Authorities and Education partners, Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are working towards the introduction of the Staffordshire Coach Database.  This will be open to all coaches, living or working in the Staffordshire area, who have met a set of minimum operating criteria.  We anticipate that this database will help to raise the profile and standards of coaching in this area.

Details of registered coaches will be held on an on-line database, which will be searchable by registered schools and Local Authority Sports Development Officers, to help them fill coaching vacancies within their organisations.  The list will not be a central employment system and coach details will be issued on the understanding that employers will still be responsible for following good employment practice when recruiting coaches from the list.

As well as the benefit of enhanced employment opportunities, registered Coaches will receive advice and improved access to training.  They will also qualify for a discount at events such as the Staffordshire Coaching Conference.

The database will "go live" in December 2007, however we would like to invite coaches to apply as soon as possible.

For more information please contact:

Ben Hollands
Tel: 01785 619317
Email: bhollands@staffordbc.gov.uk

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Upcoming Workshops

We are continuing to add workshops to our Coach and Club Education Programme for the period September 2007 to March 2008.

Our workshops are organised in partnership with sports coach UK, runningsports and a number of First Aid organisers. We aim to offer a wide variety of workshops to help clubs, coaches and volunteers develop and keep up to date with topics such as child protection, disability, equity, mentoring, communication, funding and fitness.

As well as regular workshops such as Safeguarding & Protecting Children, Equity in your Coaching, A Club for All and First Aid, we are introducing new workshops such Coach Development in Disadvantaged Communities.

Please note that due to declining numbers on the Equity in Your Coaching and A Club for All workshops, we are reducing the frequency to two workshops per year.

For more information on the full list of workshops available please click here

For more information on the above please contact:
Elaine Loader 
Tel: 01785 619695
Email:  eloader@staffordbc.gov.uk

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Our E-Newsletter has a name at last

Did you spot that we have given a name to our e-newsletter? Thanks go to Sam Ferguson, Marketing Coordinator at Stafford Borough Council who came up with Sport E-Newsletter .... say it fast and you'll get sporty newsletter - hope you like it?

Newsletter developments - we are currently working on providing a printer friendly version and hope this feature will be up and running for our next issue.

If you would like to submit an article for inclusion in this newsletter please download the Newsletter Article Template template and return to:

Leigh Morton 
Tel: 01785 619349 
Email: lmorton@staffordbc.gov.uk

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Job Vacancy - Staffordshire and Stoke Co-ordinator for the 2012 Games

The above post is currently being advertised on the County Council website. Closing date: 5th October 2007.

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