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SASSOT Club Accreditation funding – 3rd round open!
Does your sports club need funding to achieve Clubmark?
The aim of SASSOT’s Sports Club Accreditation funding to increase the number of sports clubs being accredited or re-accredited with Clubmark/NGB accreditation and which can also be used for clubs to achieve a higher level of their current accreditation if appropriate.
SASSOT have amalgamated their Club Accreditation and Coach Scholarships funding into a single application process. Up to £600 of funding is now available to sports clubs who require financial assistance to achieve and pass their accreditation criteria and which now includes funding for coach qualifications. All sports clubs benefiting from the funding must be based within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to qualify and commit to achieving accreditation within 9 months.
Round 2 has just been completed and the following 5 clubs were awarded funding;
These are some of the eligible costs that have been funded and identified by the above clubs as a requirement for them to attain accreditation;
Level 1 & 2 Coaching qualifications / First Aid kits / Junior Welcome packs / Safeguarding and Protecting Children and First Aid workshops / CRB checks / Coach NGB membership.
Please click here for further guidance notes and how to apply.
Applications can only be submitted electronically and the 2nd round of applications must be submitted by Monday 13th February 2012.
Chris Turner
Stakeholder SurveyReports High Levels Of Satisfaction
For the last four years, SASSOT has implemented a partner satisfaction survey. The last survey was conducted in October 2010. This year SASSOT took the decision to be part of the national benchmarking process by adopting use of the national ‘Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey’ produced by the CSPN. Some of the headline results are detailed below, the full results can be view in the final report.
For more information contact: Naomi Bird
Talent Coaches Breakfast Club: Book your place now
The Talent Coaches Breakfast Clubs are targeted at coaches that are qualified at UKCC Level 3 or working towards this qualification. Coaches should also be working with performers at a County standard or higher.
The Breakfast Clubs are free of charge to attend and give the opportunity to listen to recognised experts and share coaching insights. There is one Club currently scheduled at Stoke-On-Trent and one in our neighbouring County of Shropshire that will take place at Lilleshall. Please see details below:
Lee Booth
Aiming High: Disability Sport and Physical Activity
Disabilit-e News provides information about what is happening within the county, nationally and in the elite world of disability sport. It will also advertises courses, clubs, events and success stories to motivate and inspire.There is also a dedicated section on Aiming High and the good work it is doing to promote activity based short breaks for disabled children and families.
This publication will be produced twice a month and you can see previous editions and subscribe to receive Disabilit-e News directly on a page of SASSOT's website.
If you would rather wait, publications will be linked to this newsletter each month for you to view.
Mark Fosbrook
Job VacancyPart Time Level 3 School Games Sports Festival Coordinator (Post Number: LSL112)
Fixed-Term Contract to 31 March 2013 Salary: £24,646 – £28,636 per annum pro-rata 14.8 hours per week
Play your part in delivering the Olympic legacy!
Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are seeking a motivated, enthusiastic and professional person to fill the position of Level 3 School Games Sports Festival Coordinator. You will be a joining a successful and respected County Sport Partnership team with a fantastic track record of delivery at a great time for community sport.
The School Games Competition programme provides a fantastic opportunity for young people across Staffordshire to experience high quality sports participation and competition.
The successful applicant will play a key role in supporting the Local Organising Committee in the organisation of the Level 3 Staffordshire School Games Sports Festival. You will work closely with a wide range of partners to deliver an exciting and high quality Level 3 Sports Festival.
The successful candidate will have a Sports, Business or Project Management related degree or equivalent. In addition proven experience in planning and managing high quality successful events or programmes, the ability to develop partnerships and work with a wide range of partners. Experience of managing financial and human resources, excellent communication skills as well as a clear understanding of the current sporting landscape are also essential requirements of this position. The person specification and job description can be found in the employment pack.
An Enhanced CRB will be required for this position.
The closing date for applications will be close of business 10 February 2012.
An employment pack and application forms are available from Stafford Borough Council’s website, by e-mailing humanresources@staffordbc.gov.uk or contacting Human Resources on (01785) 619501 (24 hours).
To find out more contact Mark Thornewill or Jane Kracke at Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent on 01785 619896 or 01785 619187 email mthornewill@staffordbc.gov.uk or jkracke@staffordbc.gov.uk
Please note: Following the introduction of the 2010 Equality Act the record of absence section is now void, please do not complete this section of the application form. Please quote the post reference number.
Job VacancyVolunteer Development Coordinator 12 Month Fixed-Term Contract (Post Number: LSL111) Salary: £19,621 - £21,591 per annum
Play your part in delivering the Olympic legacy!
Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are seeking a motivated, enthusiastic and professional person to fill the position of Volunteer Development Coordinator. You will be a joining a successful and well respected County Sport Partnership team with a fantastic track record of delivery at a great time for community sport.
As the Volunteer Development Coordinator you will play a key role in delivering a robust volunteer pathway for adults and young people across the whole of Staffordshire. Working closely with other members of the core team you will be responsible for the operational delivery of a range of contracts and supporting the overall coordination of SASSOT’s volunteering offer.
The successful candidate will have a background in volunteer development or community sport and have an understanding of the sporting landscape and the challenges facing community sports clubs and volunteers. The post is part funded by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and has been created as a result of an exciting new partnership between our two organisations.
The person specification and job description can be found in the employment pack.
An Enhanced CRB will be required for this position.
The closing date for applications will be close of business on 1st February 2012.
Interviews to be held on 17th February 2012.
An Employment Pack and application form are available from Stafford Borough Council’s website, by e-mailing humanresources@staffordbc.gov.uk or contacting Human Resources on (01785) 619501 (24 hours).
To find out more contact Mark Thornewill at Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent on 01785 619896 or email mthornewill@staffordbc.gov.uk
Please note: Following the introduction of the 2010 Equality Act the record of absence section is now void, please do not complete this section of the application form. Please quote the post reference number.
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As always, I hope that you enjoy reading this month's edition. If you are a not-for-profit organisation and would like a story to be included in our e-newsletter, please complete the attached article template and email it to lmorton@staffordbc.gov.uk
Leigh Morton
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School Games: Game On!
With less than 200 days to go to the London Olympics, pupils from across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent have been showcasing their talents as part of the ‘School Games’. The School Games is a new school sport competition structure, using the inspiration of London's Olympics and Paralympics to help transform competitive sport in schools and get more people playing sport.
Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent (SASSOT) has successfully applied for three years of funding totalling £160,000 from Sport England through the National Lottery. This funding will be used to provide a series of ‘School Games’ county events which will involve more than 2,000 pupils each year.
The School Games is a celebration of competitive sport for pupils that provides opportunities for all young people regardless of their experience, talent or ability. In Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent a year-round calendar of competitive sporting opportunities has been created and is designed to get young people competing in both intra and inter school activity. School Game Organisers are located in each district and are responsible for co-ordinating this school activity. Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent (SASSOT) will provide a county final event which is set to be a great spectacular of both sporting and personal achievements.
This county final event will take place on 3rd July at Keele University and at local high schools. Pupils will be competing in a variety of sports including cricket, dodgeball, football, netball, rounders, rugby, tennis and trampolining. Schools Games will also provide the opportunity for disabled pupils to take part in a number of sporting competitions including boccia, cricket, football, golf, swimming and basketball.
Pupils have already competed in county finals events for both table tennis and Sportshall athletics. Both events played host to close-fought competition and endless enthusiasm. The Sporthall athletics competition witnessed some exciting finishes in the track events, particularly the obstacle relay. This annual event, which is replicated in each county, is organised by Sportshall Associates, supported by the two athletics governing bodies, UK Athletics and England Athletics, and sponsored by Aviva. Crowned winners at the end of the event were The Mosley School (Small Primary School), All Saints, Alrewas (Large Primary School), Churner View (Year 7 Girls), Oldfields Hall Middle School (Year 7 Boys), Weston Road High School and St Edwards Junior High School (Year 8 Girls) and St Josephs College (Year 8 Boys). For the full report, please see the Sporthall article below. Nineteen schools were in attendance for the table tennis team county final which saw The de Ferrers Academy take the winners titles in the Under 13 Boys, Under 16 boys and Under 16 Girls categories, with John of Rolleston Primary School winning the Under 11 Boys title and Sir Graham Balfour being crowned Under 13 Girls champions.
If you would like to find out more about the School Games within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, visit www.staffsandstokeschoolgames.co.uk for news, fixtures and results.
Jane Kracke
Athletes Get to their Marks for School Games
As the countdown to the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics passed the 200 days to go milestone, pupils from across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent got under starters orders at the county Sportshall Athletics finals, organised by Sportshall Associates. The competition was branded for the first time as a School Games Level Three final, as well as being the qualifying round to decide which Secondary School teams represent the county at the upcoming Regional competition.
The School Games is a key Government priority for ‘realising a meaningful sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games’. A year-round sporting calendar is being created across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, specifically designed to get young people competing at intra-school and inter-school levels, and culminating in local, regional and national events.
A one-day ‘Level Three’ county festival will be organised in the summer term, where the winning teams from School Sport Partnership-level tournaments in a variety of sports will come together to compete for the title of county champions. Within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, as well as organising a main Level Three event, various satellite events are being supported and branded as ‘School Games Finals’, where they need to be run at different times in the year to enable the winners feed into regional or national tournaments.
Sporthall Athletics is one such sport , and the Primary Schools county finals took place at Fenton Manor Sports Complex, Stoke-on-Trent, on 9th January. This annual event, which is replicated in each county, is supported by the two athletics governing bodies, UK Athletics and England Athletics, and sponsored by Aviva. At the small school competition in the morning four schools eagerly competed for the County Champion crown with East Staffordshire’s The Mosley School winning by quite a number of points. The boys won all bar two of their events and the girls won all except four! It was a close competition with the other schools with the girls from St Peter’s School, Hixon, gaining a great 76 points alone. There were some exciting finishes in the track events, particularly the children’s usual favourite the obstacle relay. The children were hugely supported by parents and friends who had come along to watch and support and created a fantastic atmosphere.
The afternoon competition for the large Primary schools saw 11 schools take part and was a very busy and enthusiastically noisy event! There seemed to be no clear winner as the events got underway but by results time All Saints from Alrewas had a huge 38 point win. Track events tested the timekeepers as there were numerous close finishes and there were only centimetres between many places in the field. Some very solid performances were seen, and there was an exceptional jump of 1m 90cm from a Newcastle under Lyme school girl– this was the furthest jump of the day out of both the small and large school boys and girls competitions! The athletes and team managers had obviously been practicing and were a credit to their schools with their support and team work for each other.
Two days later, it was the turn of the Secondary Schools and 45 teams descended on Fenton Manor. It was certainly a very busy afternoon. Oldfields Hall Middle school’s year 7 athletes took top place for the boys and third girls team. Outstanding performances came from Annie Rose Turner from Penkridge Middle whose shot putt of 7.80 was further than the winning year 8 girl by 70 cm! Again it was the shot putt that saw a huge putt of 9.10 by Year 7 pupil Sam Bagwell from Hagley Park Academy that was far clear from the winner of the year 8 boys shot. The noise turned up as the 4 x 2 lap relays took place with close finishes in the boys and girls.
There were join winners in the year 8 girls competition with Weston Road and St Edwards both getting 278 points and with only 7 less points St Margaret Ward were third. It was the jumps that stood out for the year 8 competition. Shauna Arnold’s standing long jump of 2.05 was a great performance for Wilnecote and a 2.67 jump came from Issac Hurst from St John Fisher. The 4 lap race saw a great display of running from James Fradley with a fantastic time of 47.8. St Josephs were the Year 8 boys Champions with St John Fisher second place, 3 points from Sir Graham Balfour in third.
Jane Kracke
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Staffordshire athletes blog their paths to London 2012
As the start date of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games gets closer and closer a few Staffordshire athletes, who are aiming for selection to a GB Team, provide a monthly blog to track their progress over the next 6 months. So read on to hear about their quest and amazing sporting experiences...
Adam Burgess - Canoe Slalom (C1 and C2) January's Blog... Posted: 23 January 2012
In this current block of training all of my physical sessions are just geared around going FAST and making the boat get up to speed quickly from a standing start. From the data we have of recorded 20m sprint times I’ve matched the record and become one of the very few C1 paddlers to reach a sub 7 second time, so already the speed work we’re doing is paying off!
I’ve continued to wear my overnight lenses to correct my short sightedness and now I think I’ve made the full adaption which is great. Being able to see properly for all of my sessions has been great, especially with trying to learn the subtleties of the Olympic courses waves and other features.
I’ve made a semi move to London so now I’m operating out of a base there and a base in Nottingham. My coaching and support services still remain predominantly in Nottingham which means I do need to be here still most weeks but with a room in London as well now I will be spending the majority of my time down there.
Training in London has been great, I’m really enjoying every second I’m spending on that course and I’m finding that the hard physical work I’ve put in already this winter has really paid off and I’m finding that I can really just focus on the technical element of paddling there and just learning the place inside out. Read more about Adam in his previous blogs
Joe Clarke - Canoe Slalom – K1 category
First of all Happy New Year to everyone, better late than never!
So I’m looking forward to a season ahead that isn’t hampered by exams or school commitments it will certainly make my life a lot easier.
After having a short break over Christmas and New Year to recharge the batteries and do a spot of skiing in the German Alps I was fully ready and rearing to kick start my training in 2012.
I started the year with Gym testing and Pool testing and I had improved both in the gym and in the pool by significant amounts, which was a nice way to start the year.
With training back in full swing now it's all eyes on the selection races that will be held on Lee Valley white water course in April. I will be racing for a place at the London 2012 Olympics. There will also be the selection for the Senior and U23 teams taking place at the same time.
So between now and April it’s a case of getting lots of quality time on Lee Valley and continuing to train hard towards that Olympic place and then fingers crossed over the 3 days of racing!
I’m really excited about the season ahead where I can hopefully build on the successes of last year and go a couple of places better to put me on that podium! To find out more visit
www.joe-clarke.co.uk
Kian Emadi - Track Cycling January's Blog... Posted: 25 January 2012
We flew out from Manchester on a Thursday morning, arrived in Bremen and then quickly drove to the track to build up our bikes and sit down for the rider’s briefing before the racing in the evening.
The racing was over six days back to back, starting at 10 pm and finishing anywhere between 1 and 3 in the morning. It was a real party atmosphere with one large hall housing the track itself, and then five other halls contained numerous bars, clubs and bands. It was amazing and on Saturday night, which was the busiest, there were an estimated 20,000 spectators attending. Manchester Velodrome seats about 3,000 – so this was huge in comparison!
The track centre itself was cool as well. Usually the riders are kept away from the spectators to allow them to prepare and warm up without stress, but in Bremen we had to walk through the dance floor of a bar to get to the ‘riders pit’ and the spectators were allowed to come and go as they pleased. This was really good, as it meant you could talk to the people who had come to see you race, and some of the spectators had had a few too many to drink so this made for interesting conversation.
I really enjoyed the Six Day experience, and if I had the chance to go back, I definitely would. I finished the series absolutely shattered from racing the night shifts but it was so much fun. The prizes were pretty cool as well. One night, I won an iPod for winning a race, and on the final night I won a magnum of champagne for finishing second overall for the six days of racing.
Below are two links to British Cycling reports on days three and six of racing: http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/gbcyclingteam/article/gbr20120114-Report--Bremen-Six---Day-3-0
For more information visit:
Mark Fosbrook - GB Wheelchair Basketball January's Blog... Posted: 20 January 2012
I now have my new basketball chair so have been getting used to that and think that it will help me to progress further. I am just having to play around with straps and positioning to tweak it and get it feeling right.
We have also had a selection camp in Crystal Palace which was a real pain to get to but the camp itself seemed ok. I felt I was performing ok, however the head coach felt different and has told me that I am not being invited to the next camp.
This means I now need to prove myself in the remaining Super League games and the GB Internal Performance League and show him that his decision was wrong. This was a bit of a knock back and makes my Paralympic dream look more unlikely however I am going to train hard to try and prove him wrong. Worst case scenario is that I don't make it which will be a huge disappointment, however I will be a fitter, stonger and a better athlete ready to step up post
London for future competition.
To find out more visit
Claire Nixon - Water Polo January's Blog...
Despite being out injured for a while I have been able to focus on other areas of my game, and I have also had time to do some serious revision for my upcoming exams.
My league club, Manchester, had a great month beating fierce rivals Liverpool and are now back on track, to hopefully retain our national league title. Read more about Claire in her previous blogs
Mark Proctor - Canoe Slalom, C1 category January's Blog...
Christmas seems months ago now.
January being an important month (they all are) as I was testing in the second week. Testing consisting of both gym and water tests. All of which are significantly important as it shows what effects the training is having and most importantly, if the training is doing what it's suppose to be doing.
I went into the week knowing I couldn't of done anymore so whatever the tests were to show, they would be a true indication of the effects of the training which I'd been doing since the beginning of November. Thankfully enough I improved on all of my tests. My gym testing went really well, increasing by a big margin of which was expected. Water testing also showed a big step up in raw speed, this showing that the gym work is paying dividends in the boat, which is where it really counts. I'm a canoeist at the end of the day, not a weightlifter!
I will now carry on doing much of the same, the facts are there to show it's working in the way both myself and my coach hoped for.
Happy New Year to you all. 2012 is here and I'm buzzing.
Read more about Mark in his previous blogs
Michelle Ross-Cope - GB Runner
January's Blog...
Christmas was lovely with the family, my 2 youngest girls had new bikes so as you can imagine we were out on the bikes Christmas Day.
Training over Christmas didn’t slacken off at all, I just enjoyed more recovery time without having to do the school run each day. I managed quite a few sessions down Birmingham with my lovely coach Bud and some of the other athletes. I do enjoy training in a group as often as possible as most of my training is done alone and in the dark (all the time as it seems at the minute)!
New Year’s day started with a long run, start as I mean to go on I guess!
I was aiming to race the Four Villages half marathon on the 22nd of January, a race I have done for the past few years, I usually try and use this race just as an indicator as to how my training is going! However, we had quite a busy week with a trip to the theatre on Thursday and my daughters rowing awards on Friday! My usual ritual is to take a day off before I race which I did, even had a bit of a lie in bed! I must say I very rarely go out due to my training load and family commitment, so was looking forward to a chilled Saturday night in! This was not due to happen as my husband told me we were going out and it couldn’t be rearranged! I was a bit shady with me racing as I tend to keep it to myself and announce it a week before! We went out to find that he had arranged a surprise party for my up and coming birthday at the end of the month. This was a lovely evening so I decided not to race as it put me out of my routine. I’m sure most people will not understand this but as an athlete I find this very important to myself.
My husband and eldest daughter had been arranging this well before Christmas, and I must say a big thank you to them as well as my mum and sister in law.
Hopefully my next blog I can say that I have raced, until next time . To find out more visit: http://www.rosscoperunning.co.uk/ twitter@rosscoperunning
Emma Wilkins - Swimming
January's Blog...
In my last blog, I mentioned a long course meet in Corby. I planned to race in the 200m freestyle, an event I am fairly unfamiliar with. I really surprised myself by swimming a 4 second personal best (PB) time, coming 3rd overall. What was even more exciting; the time was a National Qualifying Time, which now means I can swim 200m freestyle at the Olympic Trials, a great ice breaker without any expectations. This now means I qualify to compete in four events, 50m, 100m & 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly. It just goes to show, it is well worth trying different events, perhaps outside your comfort zone, to gauge development and to justify the hard training.
In January, I competed at the Derby long course meet, which was held in Sheffield, however, my coach kept my race distance down to 50m events only, as I was carrying an ankle strain. Again, swimming an event outside my normal routine, I managed a 1.5 second PB in my 50m backstroke. I later found out this was also a Staffordshire County Record, my first in backstroke. PB’s on the back of heavy training is certainly a confidence booster.
On Wednesday I am off to an overseas training camp, which will complete the winter training programme, I go with my Loughborough ITC colleagues, Liam Tancock, Ross Davenport, Jack Marriott, Grant Turner, Francesca Halsall, Elizabeth Simmonds, Lowri Tynan and Joanne Jackson. We will be spending three weeks in the state of the art complex, T3 Training Centre in Tenerife, under the direction of my Coach Ben Titley. Following this, we will return to compete in the BUCS (British University & College Sports) Long Course Championships in Sheffield.
Having had three weeks training in Florida, prior to Christmas, I now know how intense the training is going to be, I just hope all this heavy winter training is going to pay off when it come to the Olympic Trials!!!
Trust you all had a good Christmas and wishing everyone who is following my blog a very happy new year.
You can follow Emma on:- Twitter: @emmawilkins1991 http://www.facebook.com/thegamesandme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-QzV3wgJiI Read more about Emma in her previous blogs
Jacqui Slack - Elite Triathlete
To find out more visit:
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Be part of the official London 2012 legacy
Becoming a Sport Maker is easy and you don't have to be 'super fit and sporty' to get involved. Each and every Sport Maker will play a vital role in inspiring and enabling the people around them (friends, family, work colleagues, neighbours) to become more active and take up sport.
Become one of 40,000 Sport Makers and you’ll not only get the skills, knowledge and opportunities you need to get more people playing sport, you’ll become part of the official London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sports legacy.
Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent will support you all the way with an introductory workshop, support network and lots of contacts and activity ideas.
Two evening Sport Maker workshops are now available locally:
Book a place on one of these free, fun and interactive workshop via the Sport Makers website www.sportmakers.co.uk
By becoming a Sport Maker you can:
Calling All Clubs
Do you need qualified coaches or match officials, support with a club event, ground staff or even support with setting up a club website? We can help find suitable volunteers to support any number of roles within your club. If your club is in need of additional volunteer support please register on the Sport Makers website.
Ben Hollands
10,000 People Become Sport Makers!
Seventeen-year-old Tamara Radford has become the 10,000th person inspired by London 2012 to sign up as a Sport Maker and get others playing sport. Find out more here.
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Community Games
FREE 2012 Community Games workshops
CG1 - How to Organise Your Community Games
The main aim of the workshop is to: Assist organisers in their planning for a Community Games event.
Workshop Outcomes By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
CG2 - Promoting and Marketing Your Community Games
The main aim of the workshop is to: Assist organisers in promoting and marketing their Community Games
Workshop Outcomes By the end of the workshop, participants will understand:
To Book Please view the Community Games webpage to download the booking form.
Chris Turner
Sign up now for Community Games and bring London 2012 to your neighbourhood
With just over six months to go until the start of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, now is the time to sign up for Community Games and create a special moment to celebrate London 2012 in your own neighbourhood.
Community Games provide a great opportunity for individuals or organisations to bring their community together by organising a day of sporting and cultural activities inspired by, and in celebration of, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A community can organise its Games in a way that works for them: they could take place in a park or inside a community centre, at any time of year, and with whichever activities they choose. Whatever the focus, Community Games provides everyone with the chance to get involved with London 2012.
Since the programme launched in 2010, 44 Community Games have taken place throughout Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent involving over 32,000 people. It is expected that 100 games will have taken place by the end of 2012.
Wenlock (2012 Mascot) joins in the fun at a Community Games
Community Games is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Community Games programme forms part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands.
David Moorcroft, Chair of the West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games and 5000m World Record holder said: “With only six months to go until London 2012, now is the time to think about how you are going to get involved. Organising your own Community Games is a great and meaningful way to be part of the London 2012 celebrations.”
Moira Swinbank OBE, Chief Executive of Legacy Trust UK said: “Community Games has grown from strength to strength and we are delighted that so many local people have already taken part. This fantastic project is set to engage many more people in 2012 and will leave a lasting legacy for organisers, participants and communities right across the West Midlands.”
For more information on how to stage your own Community Games visit www.communitygames.org.uk or contact:
Chris Turner
Register your Community Games!!
Please can Community Games organisers planning an event in 2012, register their games at - http://www.communitygames.org.uk/content/register-your-games
As part of the Community Games support programme, Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent (SASSOT) have produced the following to help you once you have registered your Community Games;
To find out more about Community Games and how you can get involved please go to www.communitygames.org.uk
Chris Turner
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Is your sports club interested in becoming Clubmark accredited?
Your sports club/organisation is eligible to achieve Clubmark accreditation through Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent (SASSOT) or your National Governing Body.
Clubmark is Sport England's national accreditation scheme for high quality junior sports clubs and is awarded to clubs that comply with minimum operating standards in four areas:
What does Clubmark stand for? Clubmark stands for higher standards of safety, fairness, coaching and management. That way the nation's sports club infrastructure is safer, stronger and more successful.
This means that a club that has been awarded Clubmark has achieved minimum operating standards in safeguarding and protecting children, quality coaching, equal opportunities and good management.
In essence, a club that qualifies for Clubmark is a well-run club, which is ACTIVE and ACCESSIBLE, getting the best out of young people and giving everyone a sporting chance.
Why should clubs apply for accreditation? Clubmark provides recognition for high quality clubs. It is important that all clubs should strive to this quality standard. Clubmark is an important club development tool and provides a solid foundation for all clubs wishing to establish a youth structure.
Clubs awarded Clubmark can be proud of what they have achieved. They are shown to have a commitment to developing junior sport. Parents can be assured that their children belong to a safer club. Members can be sure their club is a well-managed club, striving to offer the best in coaching and sports development. By striving to achieve higher standards clubs are likely to attract more members and build a sustainable future.
As a single, national standard, Clubmark gives sports clubs of all types structure and direction. Clubs awarded Clubmark have seen many tangible benefits... more
All sports clubs that have a junior section/members and are affiliated to a Sport England recognised NGB can gain Clubmark accreditation. Clubs are not disadvantaged simply because their NGB is not licensed to accredit. SASSOT can accredit clubs throughout the county that do not belong to a licensed NGB, such as ten-pin bowling, ice hockey and korfball.
How can my club apply for Clubmark? Registration for Clubmark should be through your NGB or SASSOT who will provide you with all the relevant resources and information. We recognise that sometimes the hardest part of accreditation is knowing which organisation to contact to register an interest so to help clubs get started we have developed the Pathway to Accreditation. Just answer a few simple questions and we can point you in the right direction.
What support can I receive? Clubs working towards accreditation can receive support and advice from SASSOT and other partners such as Local Authority sport development teams. Circumstances will vary between clubs and sports but the process of accreditation is the same. There is only one set of paperwork to complete and in general most clubs are well on the way to achieving accreditation without realising it.
You can also access the SASSOT sports club accreditation funding scheme where there is up to £600 of funding available to sports clubs who require financial assistance to achieve and pass their accreditation criteria and which now includes coaching qualifications.
If you are interested in working towards Clubmark accreditation or have any questions please contact:
Chris Turner
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Noble Dragon's Martial Arts club achieve Clubmark
Noble Dragon’s Martial Arts club were awarded Clubmark accreditation in December 2011, they are part of the Heart of England Martial Arts School covering Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the West Midlands. They practice the I.T.F. or 'Chang Hon' style of Taekwondo as developed by Grandmaster Master - General Choi Hong Hi 9th Degree.
Clubmark is Sport England's national accreditation scheme for high quality junior sports clubs and is awarded to clubs that comply with minimum operating standards in four areas:
Clubmark stands for higher standards of safety, fairness, coaching and management. This means that a club that has been awarded Clubmark has achieved minimum operating standards in safeguarding and protecting children, quality coaching, equal opportunities and good management.
Noble Dragon’s Martial Art’s club are affiliated to UKITF - Imperial Taekwon-Do Association and are members of the England ITF. All their Instructors are fully qualified, insured and CRB checked through the BTC (British Taekwondo Council).
Noble Dragon’s Martial Arts Club
They focus on the quality of training and development and as a result they have many National and International Champions in their ranks.
In essence, a club that qualifies for Clubmark is a well-run club, which is ACTIVE and ACCESSIBLE, getting the best out of young people and giving everyone a sporting chance.
Martial Arts fulfil many needs for many people, improved fitness, confidence and self-esteem, self-defence, self-discipline, weight loss, self-control and channelling aggression. Martial Arts can offer an escape from the stresses of everyday life or just an opportunity to increase your circle of friends. From 4 years to 70 plus years, whatever your aims, Heart of England Martial Arts has something to offer you.
With nearly 30 Schools in the Midlands area Heart of England Martial Arts can offer you training on any day of the week enabling you to tailor your training to your lifestyle. Take a look at the other pages of their website and see what's available - http://www.heartofengland-itf.org.uk/index.html
Clubs awarded Clubmark can be proud of what they have achieved. Parents can be assured that their children belong to a safer club. Members can be sure their club is a well-managed club, striving to offer the best in coaching and sports development. By striving to achieve higher standards clubs are likely to attract more members and build a sustainable future.
Chris Turner
T: 01785 619681
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Runningsports - here to help sports clubs & volunteers
The work you do as a sport's volunteer is vital. Without the time that you dedicate, your team, club or event would suffer. But we know that time is the one thing you're short of. And that's exactly what the runningsports Network is here to solve.
Benefits of becoming a runningsports Network Member runningsports Network Members benefit from time-saving tools and resources that will help you:
What you can do on this website: Why not check out some of our featured content from the links below:
Sign Up to runningsports All you have to do to take advantage of all this help is join as a Network Member: Sign up as a Network Member - if you're involved in running a club, team or an event.
Chris Turner
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East Staffordshire - Volunteering in Sports Conference
East Staffordshire Community & Voluntary Service have recently been working in Partnership with Regional Action West Midlands (RAWM) and other partners such as Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent, and at a local level, sports development workers, local clubs, charities and Burton & South Derbyshire College. Together we have established a Volunteering Sports Action Group known as VSAG.
The conference will cover three key themes;
Volunteering: How to recruit volunteers/How to register your Volunteering Opportunities/ Volunteering & CRB’s Funding: Advice on funding Partnership working: Benefits of working together in partnership
Places are limited and will be on a first come first served basis, book early to avoid disappointment.
Please see the attached flyer for more information.
If you would like to book on to the event please complete the attached booking form and return to alison@escvs.org.uk.
For more information please contact Neil on 01283 543414 or email neil@escvs.org.uk.
Chris Turner
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Sports Grants available in Tamworth
Sports Grants The Tamworth Community Sports Network is an organisation that has been allocated funds by Tamworth Borough Council to administer 3 grant schemes;
COACH/OFFICIAL EDUCATION GRANT - To assist in the development of coaches and officials by enabling them to improve their qualifications and experience
SPORTS CLUB GRANTS - To increase the availability of sporting opportunities by assisting existing organisations to develop their sports programmes, encouraging the establishment of new sports groups/clubs/sections and encouraging Clubmark
Applications and further information can be found here.
Chris Turner
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News from Staffordshire Cricket
Clubs
NatWest CricketForce 2012 - Register Your Club Today
Want to make a change to your cricket club for the better?
How would you like your club facilities to be improved and your members rejuvenated and motivated to bring success to your club? If the answer to this question is yes, then why don’t you register free of charge and participate in NatWest CricketForce 2012. Coaches – Do you want more equipment, better nets and grass playing areas to improve your cricketers? Groundsmen – Do you want better grass playing areas, more materials,
more quality equipment and better looking surrounds? Administrators – Do you want more volunteer help and support? Spectators – Do you want to watch cricket in comfort and in better surroundings? 1stand 2ndteam captains – Do you want better changing rooms, improved performances and results on the pitch? Umpires and Scorers – Do you want more efficient scoreboards? All – Do you want a better club
atmosphere and more funding?
If so, register for NatWest CricketForce here now - or contact any of the development team for more details.
Coaching Courses
SKY Sports Coach Awards
The SKY Sports Coach Awards are a fantastic way of saying thank you to people who have made a significant contribution to the support and development of players, coaching and coaches. There are three award categories: Coach of the Year, Young Coach of the Year and Outstanding Contribution. Click here for more information.
Cricket Kit 4 Africa
Schools’ Cricket
Chance to Shine
4,000 hours of funded cricket coaching for our schools. Staffordshire Cricket, supported by the Cricket Foundation, will be continuing to raise the profile of cricket in our state schools through the Chance to Shine programme. Staffordshire will find its cricket development groups to enable their constituent clubs to work in their local schools, delivering cricket coaching and creating sustainable school-to-club links. If you’re a Clubmarked club or a school who is interested in delivering or receiving sessions, contact bob.askey@ecb.co.uk
Schools’ Competitions
Staffordshire Cricket offer a wide-range of competitions for school teams ranging from the ASDA Kwik Cricket competitions for years 5 and 6 (girls only and mixed) through Lady Taverners’ (Indoor) to the ESCA (English Schools Cricket Association) u12/13 & 14/15 Competitions as well as an u15 Twenty-20 competition. Through the Chance to Shine programme, we can even deliver fully-funded coaching support to lead up to the competitions. Contact Chris Guest c.guest@staffordshirecricket.co.uk for more details of how to get involved.
School Games
We are supporting both our local School Games events this summer with Kwik Cricket finals being played at both the Staffordshire County Sports Partnership (CSP) event at Keele University (July 3rd) and the Black Country CSP event at Aldersley Stadium (June 29th). In addition disability cricket and table cricket will provide demonstration events at Keele. For more information on entering your school into the competitions contact Chris Guest c.guest@staffordshirecricket.co.uk or your local School Games Organiser.
Disability Cricket
Staffordshire Cricket are supporting Keele University’s Disability Day’s on the 3rd and 5th February 2012. Local mainstream and special schools have been invited to attend on the 3rd, with the 5th being open to members of the public. The purpose for the day is to raise the profile of disability sport throughout the county, on the day we will be running a table cricket competition for any willing attendees. A full write up will be available in next month’s Knot Out.
Development Team Contacts
Jason Britton
jason.britton@ecb.co.uk 07827307745 Bob Askey
Chris Guest
Jim Dawson
Steve Walker
Alan Hill
Dave Ford
www.staffordshirecricket.co.uk
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Your Kids, Your Say
Over the last two years, The FA has been undergoing research and consultation into youth football, discussing different changes to the game and listening to the views of grassroots coaches, clubs, leagues and children across the country. This process finished at the end of September 2011 and has since been seen by a number of internal committees at The Football Association.
How the proposals look today from where we started two years ago is very different and this has been down to the input from the grassroots game and we thank you wholeheartedly for that. We are very excited as to what the future holds for youth football as we move towards making the game even better for young people.
Click here for FA Youth Development Proposals - Final Recommendations.
Andy Weston
Staffordshire FA and Staffordshire Cricket
Disability Multi-Sports Half Term Holiday Clubs
When? Tuesday 14th February Wednesday 15th February Thursday 16th February 10.30am – 1.30pm / 1.00pm – 3.00pm
Where? Cheslyn Hay Leisure Centre Newcastle under Lyme College The Fountains School For further information please turn read on.
Who? For both boys and girls between the ages of 5 to 16 Fun games, skills, competitions and much more!!!
All Aiming High sessions are free of charge!
Jamie Leaning Disability Community Sports Coach Staffordshire FA, Dyson Court, Staffordshire Technology Park, Beaconside, Stafford, ST18 0LQ T: 01785 256994 (option 2 then 5) M: 07816536446
Job Vacancy Skills Coach (Staffordshire)
We now have a vacancy in the Staffs FA team being advertised on the following link;
http://jobs.thefacareers.com/jobs_apply/vacancies/62/skills_coach/
In addition to the normal minimum criteria we are now asking for applicants to have attended the Module 1 and also be an FA licensed coach.
Closing date is Monday 30th January and interviews will be on Tuesday 7th Feb
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The Chase Golf Club is helping more people to Get Into Golf !
The Chase Golf Club in Penkridge is offering a 5 week course of beginners golf coaching sessions for adults commencing in January. Sessions for men will commence at 6.30pm on Tuesday 24th January and sessions for ladies will commence at 3.30pm on Sunday 29th January. The cost will be £25 per person.
They are open to beginners/non members and provide an ideal opportunity for adults to experience the game of golf. To find out further information on the above sessions and to book a lesson with a qualified PGA Coach please telephone The Chase Golf Club on 01785 712888.
The above activities are offered as part of the English Golf Union (EGU) and English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) Club Coaching Grant scheme, which provides GolfMark (incorporating Clubmark) facilities with funding to support recruitment and retention activities for adults, young people and families. GolfMark is the EGU and EWGA’s national scheme that identifies and recognises junior and beginner friendly golf facilities. For further details visit www.golfmark.org
Details of all venues offering coaching activities as part of the Club Coaching Grant scheme can be found on the Get into Golf website at www.getintogolf.org
The Staffordshire County Golf Partnership is also helping to develop golf within the county by offering sessions to increase participation and providing support to golf clubs, players, coaches and volunteers. See www.staffsgolfpartnership.com for more information.
Many golf clubs have been able to offer golf taster sessions and activities for a number of years through the support of the EGU and EWGA and have introduced thousands of beginners to golf and golf clubs. In 2009, over 41,000 participants (adults and juniors) attended one of the 519 golf clubs offering activities as part of this scheme. 2010/2011 participation figures will be available shortly.
The Club Coaching Grant scheme is one of several initiatives jointly provided by the EGU and EWGA via the England Golf Partnership’s ‘Whole Sport Plan’ for golf and is an integral part of England Golf’s vision to ‘Grow the Game’.
For further information please contact the EGU/EWGA Golf Development Team: Tel: 01526 354500 or E-mail: development@englishgolfunion.org
The Chase Golf Health Club & Spa, based in Penkridge, is backing the drive by the Staffordshire County Golf Partnership to encourage more people into the sport.
The club, which is just six miles from the centre of Stafford, is holding a series of events aimed at would-be golfers.
They are running a Ladies Go 4 Green programme, starting January 29 at 2.30pm, for beginners while a course for the Girls starts on February 9 (1.00pm).
Free coaching sessions for all children under 16 are also held at the club, starting from February 1 (4.30pm-5.30pm) and February 3 (4.30pm-5.30pm).
The coaching sessions are organised by qualified PGA professionals and provide an enjoyable introduction to the range of skills needed out on the golf course. The sessions are free and equipment is provided. Further information is available from the club’s PGA professionals Katrina Holford and Tom Cheetham on 01785 712 888.
The club has received its GolfMark award – which is a national seal of approval for child-friendly and beginner facilities which have shown they have the right duty of care policies in place alongside their coaching structure.
Sean Hammill, county development officer for the Staffordshire CGP, says: “These courses are an ideal way to get started. If your new year resolution has been to try something new in 2012 then these sessions would suit you to a tee.
“Golf offers a healthy and sociable activity while the chance for the ladies and girls to start out with a group of people in a similar situation makes it much more fun and far less daunting to get involved at a golf club.”
The England Golf Partnership is a collaboration of a number of stakeholders in the sport including England Golf - the organisation formed by the merger of the English Golf Union and The English Women's Golf Association - the PGA, the Golf Foundation and Sport England.
In Staffordshire the partnership is supported by the Staffordshire Ladies County Golf Association, the Staffordshire Union of Golf Clubs and the Staffordshire PGA.
Sean Hammill
W: http://www.staffsgolfpartnership.com/ M: 07771 794193 E: sean.hammill@btinternet.com
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Grassroots awards joy for South Staffs Sailing Club
South Staffordshire Sailing Club is celebrating after receiving a top regional Royal Yachting Association (RYA) award for its commitment to introducing young people in Staffordshire to sailing.
South Staffs SC was named OnBoard Club of the Year for Staffordshire and Derbyshire at the region’s 2011 RYA OnBoard Awards, and was presented with its award last week (12 Jan).
OnBoard is the RYA’s successful nationwide grassroots initiative providing low cost sailing and windsurfing opportunities for local school and youth groups. More than 600 youngsters in Staffordshire enjoyed their first taste of sailing through the county’s five OnBoard clubs last year.
South Staffs SC OnBoard co-ordinator Tony Hotchkiss receives 2011 Staffordshire and Derbyshire RYA OnBoard Club of the Year award from club commodore, Neil Hawkins
South Staffs SC, which also holds the prestigious title of national overall RYA Club of the Year, is helping lead the way in engaging local youngsters in sailing from an early age, having received its official RYA OnBoard club status a year ago, to supplement its own successful and ongoing youth development programmes.
This year saw the club start working with Walton High School in Stafford, with 10 Year 7 pupils introduced to sailing for the first time. During eight sessions, all the pupils undertook and passed Stage 1 of the RYA Youth Sailing Scheme, with some also well on their way to obtaining Stage 2.
Meanwhile, the increase in youth activity at the club has also energised existing young club members into becoming instructors, providing long-term sustainability benefits to South Staffs SC. Regularly six or seven volunteer helpers from amongst the club’s members assisted the Senior Instructor in running youth activities.
Tony Hotchkiss, South Staffs SC’s OnBoard co-ordinator, added: “The club has always run kids’ training before but OnBoard was new and additional. The 2012 plan for OnBoard is to stay working with just Walton High and try to take the programme to the next phase by providing more and better opportunities for both Walton High pupils, and their families, to regularly get involved in our club activities.
“There has been considerable interest from the first wave of OnBoard participants in getting involved in more regular sailing so now the school and pupils know us better, and through word of mouth amongst the children and parents, we hope that we will begin to start seeing more young members and their families join the club.”
OnBoard fun at South Staffs SC, July 2011
Around 3,200 Staffordshire and Derbyshire kids in total have been introduced to the sport since OnBoard was launched in the partnership in 2007. Almost 600 of those youngsters are now sailing regularly.
Brett Cokayne, RYA OnBoard Development Officer for Staffordshire and Derbyshire, said: “Volunteers are the foundation of RYA OnBoard and if it wasn’t for their time, dedication and commitment fewer youngsters would be able to get out on the water for the first time and experience what sailing and windsurfing can offer.”
For more information on sailing and windsurfing in the West Midlands visit www.rya.org.uk/regions/westmidlands
For more information: Karenza Morton
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England Squash and Racketball
England Squash & Racketball are working in partnership with Brough Park Leisure Centre, Leek, to enhance squash and racketball coaching opportunities in the area.
If you are looking for a great way to get fit, meet new people, and have fun, squash and racketball could be the sports for you. Squash is played by more than 500,000 people in England every month, from elite international players through to the thousands who take part in local leagues and events. If you are looking to improve your fitness, squash provides an intense cardiovascular and muscular workout – perfect for burning calories.
Racketball is very similar to squash, but is played with a slightly larger racket and a bigger, bouncier ball, making it easy to get a rally going. This ensures a good workout for both players, so if you have never picked up a racket before, or the old wooden racket is gathering dust, grab a friend and get on court. Racketball is the fastest growing racket sport in the UK – head to Brough Park Leisure Centre to find out why.
Racketball coaching sessions are taking place at Brough Park Leisure Centre every Sunday at 9.30-10.30am with a fully qualified ESR coach. Sessions are open to all ages and abilities.
Mini Squash coaching sessions are taking place every Tuesday evening for juniors.
For more information contact: Brough Park Leisure Centre on 01538 373603
Helen Browne
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News from Stafford and Stone School Sport Partnership
Young Ambassador Event
On Tuesday 17th January over 80 Young Ambassadors from all over Stafford and Stone met at Stafford Sports College.
Tuesday saw the Ambassadors form a human olympic rings, compete in Olympic quizzes, and meet Olympian Keri Lees. Also helping run the event was Katie Gamston who has been a Platinum Ambassador and now works for the Partnership in her gap year. Katie has been given a condiitional offer to carry the Olympic Torch on May 30th.
Stafford and Stone Young Ambassadors Jan 2012
Olympian Keri Lees pictured with the yellow Olympic ring
The next Young Ambassador event will be in May - one week before the Olympic Torch comes to Stafford. Steve Glover, Partnership Development Manager said, "It was great to see so many Ambassadors present and hear about the great things they are doing back in their indiviuals schools. The Olympic Spirit is definitely alive in Stafford and Stone. Also a big thank you must go to Olympian Keri Lees as she was so inspirational with her talk to pupils and parents." Georgia Stanway to Perform at National School Sport Conference
Stafford and Stone School Sport Partnership are thrilled that a Stafford pupil has been chosen to perform at an upcoming National School Sport Conference.
Georgia Stanway, a talented Netball player, who volunteers weekly at Stafford Netball Club alongside playing for the ladies team, will headline the gala dinner at the upcoming Youth Sport Trust Conference.
Georgia, a sixth former at Blessed William Howard will be singing a variety of songs during the dinner at the National Conference Centre in Telford in February. Guests will include teachers, Headteachers, top politicians and Olympians.
Stafford and Stone School Sport Partnership Development Manager Steve Glover said , “I am thrilled that Georgia has been chosen to headline at the Gala Dinner. She has been dancing and singing at a number of our events for the past two years. This is a great opportunity for her and I am sure she will be a big hit.”
Year 7 Boys' Futsal Competition
The annual Stafford and Stone School Sport Partnership Futsal competitions kicked off this week (16 Jan) with the Year 7 boys' competition.
Two tense matches saw Weston Road and Blessed Wililam Howard successful and progression into the final.
Weston Road Team
Year 7 Girls' Futsal Competition
On this occasion the Year 7 Girls Futsal tournament was played as a round-robin event, with every team playing all the others. Two sports leaders took responsibility for refereeing all 21 matches. With just three games to go Stafford Sports College had finished on 13 points and the deciding game between Sir Graham Balfour and Christ Church Middle School meant that they could mathematically still win. This uncertainty was soon dispelled with Christ Church running out 2–0 winners and so taking the title.
1st Place Christ Church Academy 2nd Place Stafford Sports College 3rd Place Sir Graham Balfour High
Steve Glover, Partnership Development Manager said, "Once again the futsal went down to the very last game. The girls played with great spirit and passion, which was proved to be very competitive. Well done to Christ Church Academy who will now represent Stafford and Stone SSP in the Staffordshire finals."
For information on the above articles contact: Stephen Glover
T: 07825 999088 E: steve.glover@staffordandstonessp.co.uk
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Stars Squad in Stoke-on-Trent
The Stars programme is a Youth Sport Trust initiative that was started in the North Stoke School Sport Partnership in 2009 and in the South Stoke School Sport Partnership in 2010.
View the video below to see what 6 young athletes in the Stars Squad 2012 have to say about their sports, achievements and quest to take part in this year’s Olympics.
For more information contact:
Nigel Edwards
Email: nedwards@sgfl.org.uk Website: www.stokessps.org
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Important changes to runningsports and Clubmark
KKP has been tasked to strategically overhaul runningsports - completely revising the activities and resources for, and the communications methods use to engage with, what will be a substantially broader cross section of volunteers, clubs and agencies. Concurrently, we shall review Clubmark to modernise and expand the range of quality accreditation options available to affiliated clubs and mechanisms to enable others outside the NGB sphere of
influence to set themselves and then promote higher standards.
They will align closely to the delivery of Sport England's objectives and outcomes and programme delivery will entail working closely with and through partners (building on KKP's established practice) to ensure that both accreditation and volunteer improvement programmes truly reflect and are responsive to, the current and future needs of people and agencies in the sector. To achieve this we shall be taking a more proactive, market driven and needs led approach.
The plan is to revise and extend the reach, range and usefulness of activities, support packages and resources available on a flexible basis to sports volunteers in both NGB linked and more informal settings (including the new cohort of Sport Makers) - doing more to ensure that we reach people from all localities, communities and walks of life.
We shall also, with Sport England and partners, review whether and how we can take forward and/or extend the ambit of the present Clubmark accreditation programme – further raising the profile of high quality clubs - for the whole community. Business as usual.
In the short term, we are adopting a ‘business as usual’ approach. In so doing we intend to ensure that 'carried forward' commitments are honoured, with the minimum fuss and disruption. This applies particularly with regard to current levels of support for Clubmark licensees, runningsports workshops arranged prior to 30 September 2011 and other related commitments. Should you have any queries with regard to this or need any help please contact the Programme team via KKP's main office on 0161 764 7040. You will then be put through to the right person to handle your enquiry. Tutors and the workforce All runningsports tutors have now been informed about the changed circumstances and processes. As part of the transition, we are in the process of firstly reviewing the volume of support work that will be delivered in face-to-face formats and then identifying how best to assign and support tutors, in the field. This will also encompass identification of appropriate support and a continuous professional development system for those who are to be involved going forward
Marketing and communications We would like to apologise in advance for the fact that, over the next few weeks, there may be some slight disruption to the runningsports and Clubmark websites as we look to migrate content and launch a new integrated portal in the New Year. More detail on this will be circulated nearer to the proposed launch date.
The intention is to refresh the two headline runningsports and Clubmark brands. We shall, however, focus on developing and testing new improved activities, products and resources and, as mentioned earlier, the effectiveness with which they are ‘brought to market’.
With regard to Clubmark, we are, of course, aware of the investment and resource commitment NGBs and CSPs have made to the use, adoption and alignment to Clubmark branding – so the target is, again, minimal disruption.
To ensure that inconvenience to runningsports and Clubmark customers is minimised, during the period of new website construction the same URLs will be used so as to ensure a smooth transition to the new, improved offer. New staffing/workforce The plan going forward is to change the nature and expand the level of resource applied to the proactive management, in particular of work delivered under the runningsports banner. The new structure is designed to ensure that we have people in place to get the right (new) activities and products to the right markets in the right formats; when they are needed.
As noted above, building upon our strong existing relationships, we shall contact you in due course to ensure that your requirements are fed into the system. If you believe that we can help you in any way, please ring the main KKP office number 0161 764 7040 or email us at: mail@clubmark.co.uk
Please feel free to cascade this information to any other interested parties and we look forward to working with you in the future.
Clare MacLeod
Chris Turner
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Do you know about Sport England's £50million Inspired Facilities fund?
The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country.
Investment has been made available to breathe new life into tired facilities that can be unattractive to sports participants, expensive to run and difficult to maintain, putting these clubs right back at the heart of their local communities. There is also money available to convert existing buildings into venues that are suitable for grassroots sport.
Typical investments might be:
At least £35 million of the funding will go to community and voluntary organisations, through grants of between £20,000 and £50,000. The remaining money will be open to a wider group of organisations, including councils and schools, with grants of up to £150,000 available.
Sport England will invest in most types of improvement or refurbishment work that will help you develop sport in your local area. To qualify for a grant you will need to:
In particular, they are looking for projects or organisations across the country that:
Applicants whose projects will benefit disadvantaged young people will also be invited to apply for funding from the Thomas Cook's Children's Charity from August this year.
To maximise the impact of the money Sport England have, and to make applying for a grant as easy as possible, have developed a “Catalogue” of many of the standard facility improvements clubs would like to make if they had funds available. The Catalogue has been developed based on market research and the views of local sports clubs, schools and local authorities.
The Catalogue provides a “one stop shop” approach and will help reduce bureaucracy and costs by making it easier to apply as well as reducing the time scales between receiving a grant and opening your project. You will be able to use the catalogue to work our realistic costs, calculate your budget and gather the information you need for your applications form.
When can I apply? The dates for the next two funding rounds are:
For full details of the catalogue, the key eligibility criteria and how to apply please view http://inspiredfacilities.sportengland.org/
Chris Turner
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Sport England Update
Creating a sporting habit for life
Sport England and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt today (10 Jan) gave details of a new five-year youth and community sport strategy that will deliver on Lord Coe’s 2012 Games bid promise to inspire a generation to get involved in sport.
Between 2012 and 2017 over £1 billion of National Lottery and Exchequer funding will be invested to create a meaningful and lasting community sport legacy by growing sports participation at the grassroots level.Under the new strategy, every secondary school in England is set to host a community sports club, and £10 million will be made available to open up school sport facilities for wider public use.
In 2017, five years after the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, we want to have transformed sport in England so that playing sport becomes a lifelong habit for more people and a regular choice for the majority. In particular, we want to raise the number of 14- to 25-year-olds playing sport.
National governing bodies (NGBs) will continue to play a pivotal role in increasing participation, particularly among young people. And, as the Secretary of State has outlined today, a tougher regime of payment-by-results will be a fundamental feature of our performance management system. This will be coupled with a new incentive fund to enable those doing exceptionally well to achieve more.
County sports partnerships will support NGBs, foster local links and help transition young people into clubs. We will support and work with local authorities through our advocacy tools and investment including a new community activation fund.
Partners including the National Partners, StreetGames, the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, the Youth Sport Trust and others will add value and support our work.
“Changing the sporting behaviour of a generation is a major challenge which has not been achieved by any other Olympic host nation,” said Sport England Chief Executive Jennie Price. “With a new focus on young people and an even tougher, Government-backed, regime of payment by results, Sport England and its partners are determined to deliver.”
Under the strategy:
In future, NGB investment will start at age 14 to ensure a better transition from school sport and create a sporting habit for life through increasing participation overall.
Alex Horne, General Secretary of the FA, said: “Football welcomes the Sport England strategy and the increased focus on youth. A priority will be taking 2,000 local football clubs into secondary schools across the country, offering expert coaching and creating the strong ties that will help young people make the move from school sport to community sport.”
Ian Drake, Chief Executive of British Cycling, said: “Looking ahead to the next funding cycle, we have ambitious plans to build further on the success we’ve achieved over the past few years, and to capitalise on the inspirational impact of London 2012 to increase participation. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Sport England on turning these plans into reality under the new strategy outlined today. We take our responsibilities seriously in terms of maximising the impact of the public money we receive. We fully appreciate the fact this funding is a privilege and not a right, and with that in mind it makes sense to tie-in continued funding to the achievement of agreed goals and objectives to help ensure the best return on investment across all sports.”
David Collier, Chief Executive of the ECB, said: “The ECB welcomes the new Sport England strategy and the reach down to 14 year olds. This very much mirrors cricket’s own strategy to get more young people playing at school and in clubs and keep them involved in the game throughout their lives.”
Paul Clark, Chief Executive of England Netball, said: “The success we’ve had in growing adult netball participation through our Back2Netball programme has clearly demonstrated that the participant-focused approach we take at England Netball is the right one. Our key challenge over the next four years will be to apply that approach and learning to drive increased participation in netball amongst young people aged between 14 and 25 years of age. This age group is critical to our ambition of encouraging and enabling engagement in Netball for Life.”
The sporting legacy was given a further boost today when Sainsbury’s pledged a £10 million package to support the new School Games Competition over the next four years, alongside other additional funding including £8 million from Sport England.
Jeremy Hunt said: “We are absolutely determined to leave a real and lasting legacy for young people from London’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Sainsbury’s School Games will help do just that. The fantastic funding package announced today – from Sainsbury’s, adidas and the Department of Health - shows the commitment to completely transform competitive sport in schools. I want to thank Sainsbury’s and adidas for their generosity in helping to secure the future of the School Games beyond 2012.”
Sport England is investing up to £35.5 million of National Lottery funding in the School Games.
To download a copy of our new Youth and Communities Strategy
Huge legacy boost for hundreds of local sports clubs
The fund is part of the £135 million Places People Play National Lottery-funded legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across England. All 350 facilities will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.
Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, said: “For hundreds of clubs and tens of thousands of people, 2012 will be the year their local sports facilities got better.
“We’ve had unprecedented demand for this fund, which has really hit the mark with sports clubs. It shows we’re offering the sporting legacy that people want.”
The investments announced today will breathe new life into tired facilities that can be unattractive to sports participants, difficult to maintain and run. Grants have also been offered to convert existing buildings into venues that are suitable for grassroots sport and to allow local clubs to buy the facilities they use.
The investments include:
Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP, said: “We want to use the Olympic and Paralympics next summer to inspire a generation to get involved in sport across the country. This is why as part of the £135 million Places People Play legacy programme we invited community sports clubs to apply for funding to upgrade their facilities.”
Inspired Facilities has been designed to be as simple and accessible as possible for potential applicants, with a shorter form and a catalogue of ready-made options to choose from. This is the first of five funding rounds of Inspired Facilities; the second round opens on 1 February 2012, offering hundreds more local groups the chance to bid for a further £10 million of funding.
Places People Play is being delivered by Sport England. We are working in partnership with the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA) with the backing of The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the London 2012 Inspire mark.
LOCOG Chair, Seb Coe, said: “This is a fantastic funding project that will deliver a real legacy from the London 2012 Games. It will provide a whole range of sporting opportunities for young people through improved facilities and will I hope inspire them to take up sport.”
Today’s announcement was welcomed by the Local Government Association. Cllr Chris White, Chair of its Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: “In spite of budget pressures, councils are striving to keep supporting local sports clubs and want to work with them in creating a lasting and meaningful Olympic and Paralympic legacy. This much-needed funding will hopefully act as a catalyst to further strengthen local partnerships between councils and sports clubs and get more people playing sport.”
Sport Makers hit 10,000 as sporting legacy gathers pace
Seventeen-year-old Tamara Radford has become the 10,000th person inspired by London 2012 to sign up as a Sport Maker and get others playing sport.
“I’d like to work as a fitness trainer and get young people doing sport,” said Tamara, who lives in Binnington, South Yorkshire. “When I heard about Sport Makers, I thought it be a great way to pick up some new skills and get some experience while having some fun.
“It’s really exciting to be part of something linked to the Olympics and I’m looking forward to going to the workshop next week to find out more.”
Every Sport Maker who’s signed up is invited to an informal and interactive workshop where they’ll gain the skills and opportunities to get involved in sport in their area.
Sport England Chair, Richard Lewis, also welcomed the news. “This is a fantastic result and I am really pleased to see people signing up to make sport happen in their local community. While this is a great start, I want even more people following Tamara’s lead and signing up.
To find out more about Sport Makers, which is open to anyone aged 16 and over, and to sign up, visit www.sportmakers.co.uk
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And Finally
Two Fantastic Opportunities for Young People
Young People needed to be Part of a 50 Year Friendship
A party of young people from Germany visit Staffordshire every year to mark peace and reconciliation after World War II. This year the young people are visiting between 13th August and the 27th August.
We are looking for young people aged 16 or 17, to spend two weeks with the young people from Germany. It’s the 50th Anniversary of the event and will be bigger and better than ever, so it really is a one off opportunity! Plus it's absolutely free!
The two weeks will include:
It’s a fantastic chance to try something different and build new friendships. Plus it can be used to enhance a UCAS application, improve German language skills and develop interests in History and Religious Education.
Find out more:
We are encouraging young people to sign up for the projects by the end of MarchSummer of a Lifetime
Summer of a Lifetime is aimed at young people in year 11 who have just completed their GCSEs and who are up for a challenge over their summer.
It supports young people from all backgrounds to work together, take on new challenges, have fun and engage in their communities - making lifelong friends along the way.
What's Involved? Summer of a Lifetime takes place over the summer holidays, just after GCSEs and involves three weeks full time activity, followed by 30 hours part time activity spread over a period of three weeks.
Activities will include:
Who is Summer of a Lifetime for?
What will you Gain from the Experience?
Find out more:
Please note:
Staffordshire County Council is only delivering this project in the following districts: Stafford, Lichfield, Tamworth and East Staffs.
Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services (SCVYS) is delivering the project in South Staffs and Cannock Chase.
YMCA is delivering the project in Newcastle and Staffordshire Moorlands.
Red Cross is delivering the project in Stafford.
We are encouraging young people to sign up for the projects by the end of March
Walk4Life chart topper walks
A new entry to the chart is Staffordshire County Council's Cannock Chase-Staffs Way. This is also one of the longest walks in the chart at 8.24 miles.
View the information of where all the most popular walks are throughout the country to find one near you.
De Ferrers Take Zone Crown
The De Ferrers Academy have taken the English Schools Zone 2 Under 16’s table tennis crown in style this year, losing only 5 of their 32 games and winning all 4 matches.
De Ferrers Under 16's
The team of Ed Freeman, Joe Byrne, Andrew Heathcote, Liam Burt & Jack Prescott beat teams from Yorkshire & Nottinghamshire in their group before trouncing Derbyshire’s Tipshelf 8-0 in the semi final. This put them up against Beckfoot School from Bradford in the final and despite Joe losing the first game, normal service was quickly restored as they quickly went into a 3-1 lead. Ed then made it 4-1, leaving Andrew to play for the glory of taking the winning point. However, he failed to cope with some vicious pimples, and it was Joe who took De Ferrers over the line. With Liam taking the last the final score was 6-2. Liam proved the star name on the sheet as he remained unbeaten throughout with Andrew’s final game loss being his only one out of 8. Ed also lost only 1 and with Joe weighing in with 5, De Ferrers rarely looked in trouble and with Jack Prescott waiting in the wings to cover any injury any eventuality was catered for. Prize for the 5 boys is a trip to Grantham, for the Regional finals, one round away from the National finals, and after a resounding result like this, confidence is high that this season long goal is achievable.
Alongside the under 16’s, an inexperienced under 13 team were also in action and after 2 draws and 2 defeats they finished 4th out of 5. Lewis Acton lead well from the front winning 6 from 8 but all the other players, George Hodson-Walker, Ed Watchman & George Lydiatt, came away with victory’s and with 2 still only year 7, maybe their success may come next year.
Regards, Simon Price
Penkridge Junior Football Club Summer Cup 2012
Our tournament will take place on Saturday 14th July and Sunday 15th July at the Monckton Recreation Centre, Penkridge, Stafford, ST19 5QP. (10 minutes from M6 junction 12 and 13)
All Games are played on Small Sided pitches, playing 6 and 7-a-Side depending upon age and refereed by FA qualified Referees. There is no limit to the number of players that can take part.
Saturday 14th July
Sunday 15th July
Link to Entry Form that can also be obtained from the Penkridge Juniors web site www.pjfc.co.uk If you require any further information then please email me at paulmallaband@yahoo.co.uk
Over the last few years we have had teams from Oldham, Manchester, Macclesfield, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, Coventry, Banbury, Crewe, Dudley, Telford, Shrewsbury, Kidderminster, Stourbridge, Redditch, Dudley and Cardiff, as well as teams local to Penkridge Juniors, Stafford, Lichfield, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
Regards Paul Mallaband
Come and Run with Olympian Paul Evans!
Sunday 12th February 2012 at Marquis Drive Cannock Chase (WS12 4PW) 10:30am – 12 noon on the chase and then 1pm – 3pm at Stafford Harriers home St Leonards Sports and Social Club – Stafford (ST17 4HX)**timings approximate! £5.00 charge (see booking details below)
The session will be a circuit on grass paths, including a few inclines! Then afterwards at Stafford for question and answers, sandwiches, the bar and support for your training and preparation from Paul. ALL ABILITIES WELCOME
Shadowing Disability Dance Artist Opportunity – Staffordshire February – July 2012 Dance Connected are looking for a number of shadowing dance artists to assist in the delivery of a disability dance project which links the Aiming High programme to Get Dancing a ‘Dancing for the Games’ project for Staffordshire.
Artist Fee: This is a voluntary opportunity. Some expenses can be claimed. Deadline for applications: Wednesday 1 February 2012 Interview Date: tbc
How to Apply: For full details about this opportunity and how to express an interest, please submit a current CV and covering letter detailing why you are interested in this opportunity. Or contact Dance Development Officer Alison Lord: T: 01785278647 E: alison.lord@staffordshire.gov.uk
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