Phil Hope, Regional Minister for the East Midlands, has recently visited Corby for a game of tennis thanks to a programme of coaching organised by local volunteers and Groundwork, and also Rolls-Royce in Derby to launch a major regional partnership for skills training.

Groundwork visit to Corby
Training Partnership launch Derby

The tennis coaching took place on the Multi Games Area which was set up in 2006 to provide Oakley Vale residents in Corby with access to sport, play, skills and training. Many of the young people participating in coaching courses are also working towards achieving their Community Sports Leader coaching qualification.

Having seen the success of the scheme, Phil Hope said:

"It is fantastic to see how Groundwork projects such as this one can benefit local communities and help rejuvenate the area in which they live."

Groundwork North Northants received £11,532 from the Sport England Community Investment Fund in May 2007 which is helping to fund a part-time project worker on the estate for a further 18 months to allow three years of development work, equipment and coaching, and the establishment of a well organised and empowered community stewardship group for the facility.

Emily Leigh, from Sport England East Midlands, said: “The provision of coaching time and new equipment for use at this facility gives a huge boost for helping more people get involved in sport in Corby. It is a great example of how National Lottery funding is helping to support sporting activities in local communities".

More information on the visit can be found on the Government Office East Midlands web site.

The Regional Minister has also visited Derby-based Rolls-Royce to launch a major partnership offering thousands of employers in the region access to skills training.

The launch, on Monday 10th March, was organised by the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils, and attended by skills partners and East Midlands’ employers.

The Train to Gain Protocol is a partnership between 25 employer-led Sector Skills Councils (including Skills Active), the Learning and Skills Council, the East Midlands Development Agency and East Midlands Business Ltd.  Partners are working together to ensure Train to Gain reaches employers, develops employees workforce skills, and strengthens business productivity.

The Minister, who announced that skills was a top priority in his role as a ambassador for the East Midlands, said: “Train to Gain is a demand led system and all the partners involved and employers need to ensure the East Midlands gets its fair share of the available advice, training and funding.  There are excellent training providers in the region but many learners leave the region to get better paid jobs and this is an area that needs to be addressed by employers and partners.”

Employers were also invited to sign up to a Skills Pledge to show their commitment to provide ongoing training and support for employees in obtaining qualifications.

More information on the launch can be found on the SkillsActive web site.