Five-time Olympic Gold medalist, Sir
Steve Redgrave, today unveiled a new way for people to become
sporting heroes in their local community.
Sir Steve, our greatest Olympian, has joined
forces with Sport England to launch Sport Makers, a
programme for everyone who’d like to make sport happen for their
friends, neighbours or colleagues.
Sir Steve said: “You don’t need medals to
become a sporting hero. By helping people you know to get involved
in sport you’ll be doing something amazing for your friends and
local community as well as having fun yourself.
“The thing I want to see more than anything is
more people out enjoying what sport has to offer, but we need your
help to make it happen.
“So why not take your first step to becoming a
sporting hero and visit sportmakers.co.uk”
Sport
Makersaims to inspire over 40,000 people to get involved, with
each of them spending at least 10 hours organising or
leading sporting activities. It is open to anyone aged 16 and
over.
Backed
by the British Olympic Association and £4 million of
National Lottery funding, Sport
Makers 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.
Every Sport
Maker will be invited to an informal and interactive
workshop where they’ll gain the skills and opportunities to get
involved in sport in their area. Sport Makers will be
introduced to organisations that need their help, and join forces
with others who want to make sport happen locally. There’ll also be
opportunities to meet top athletes and plenty of incentives to stay
involved.
By taking part in Sport Makers, and completing
your 10 hours, you could secure tickets to the greatest show on
earth: Sport Makers and London 2012 are working together to give
people the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend next year’s
Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Sport England’s
Chair, Richard Lewis, said: “This is a great chance to get involved
in making sport happen, whether that’s planning the route,
finding the pitch or encouraging others to take part.
“So if you think you could help, or have your
own ideas for getting others involved in sport, please join in as a
Sport Maker and become part of the legacy of the London
2012 Games.”
Today’s launch was welcomed by the Minister
for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP. He said: “The
volunteers that help out at local sports clubs up and down the
country are the foundations of community sport. The new Sport
Makers initiative is a key part of the London 2012 sports
legacy and will help community sports clubs across the country get
more people playing sport.”
Over 50% of
adults in England say they’d like to play more sport, but many people don’t feel they have the time,
money or confidence to get involved in a formal setting.
BOA Chair, Lord Moynihan, said:
“Sport Makers will help contribute to an
active and vibrant grassroots sporting environment, through which
opportunities for people of all ages to participate in sport will
be expanded. It will reinforce the ideals of the Olympic and
Paralympic movement, demonstrating how they are relevant to every
level of sport.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Sport England is focused on the delivery of a
mass participation legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic
Games. We invest National Lottery and Exchequer funding in
organisations and projects that will grow and sustain participation
in grassroots sport and create opportunities for people to excel at
their chosen sport.
Places People Play
Places People Play is a £135 million
National Lottery programme being delivered by Sport England, 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.
What are Sport Makers?
Sport Makers are, quite simply, people who
make sport happen. Some might organise sport informally for
themselves and their friends, colleagues or neighbours. Others
won’t take part themselves, but will do all those things that make
sport possible, such as organising a fundraising fun-run for their
village with the help of other Sport Makers, creating a multi-sport
event or festival for the local community with other people or
welcoming new participants at a local sports club, helping them
play the game and encouraging them to keep coming back.
How do I become a Sport
Maker?
Visit sportmakers.co.uk to find out more and
sign up.
Ticketshare
The London 2012 Ticketshare scheme is funded
by the London 2012 Prestige Ticketing programme.For more
information please go to:
http://www.sportengland.org/about_us/places_people_play/sportmakers.aspx