Sports Colleges Conference 2009 - Leading the Change
11&12 February 2009 - The International Centre, Telford
The annual Sports Colleges Conference has a new-look programme incorporating a host of fantastic keynote and mini keynote speakers, more workshops than ever before and influential networking and development opportunities!  The conference – aimed at representatives from Sports Colleges, Academies with a specialism in sport, and Local Education Authorities – will bring together key post-holders working in and around Sports Colleges with a focus on headteachers, directors of specialism and subject leaders. The theme will focus on the skills and techniques needed to drive the ongoing development of the education and sporting landscape. Download Conference Flyer (pdf). View more info and book now.

Creating a Nation of Active Women
24 November 2008 - Emirates Stadium, London
This is the essential event in the sporting calendar for anyone with an interest in getting more women involved in sport and exercise. Hosted by the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF), the conference will build on last year’s ground-breaking event which drew widespread national attention to the crisis in women’s physical activity. This year will set out the solutions. WSFF will present the first national strategy to create a nation of active women, drawing on expertise from a range of sectors, from retail, advertising and the media to leading domestic and international case studies in sport and exercise. Speakers include Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, Paralympian Gold Medalist and Dame Kelly Holmes CBE, Double Gold Olympic Medalist. Download WSFF Programme and Booking Form.

Cornwall Sports Awards 2008
Friday 7 November 2008 - The Tregenna Castle Hotel, St Ives
Cornwall Sports Partnership are staging the prestigious Cornwall Sports Awards 2008 to recognise and honour the contributions made by dedicated Sports Coaches, Officials, Clubs and Volunteers. The four categories incorporate 13 separate Awards which include Club of the Year, Coach of the Year and Lifetime Services to Sport. The event will have an Olympic theme this year with guest speaker Ed Coode recapturing his 2004 Olympic glory.  Gemma Simpson 800m athlete and Matthew Whorwood Paralympic swimmer will also speak about the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Compere for the evening will be ITV Sports Presenter Mark Tyler. “This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and thank the people behind sport, without these people sport would not happen” said Natasha Sandoe, Club Development Officer. The event is being held with support from Devon & Cornwall Media group, Truro College, Tony Pryce Sports, Miller Countrywide and Tregenna Castle. Contact nsandoe@cornwall.gov.uk or tel 01872 323344.

UK to host shotgun World Cup in build up to 2012
Southern Counties Shooting Ground has been chosen by the ISSF General Assembly to host one of four Shotgun World Cups in 2010. The week long competition will mark the start of qualification for London 2012, with one Olympic quota place available per discipline. Great Britain will automatically qualify one Olympic place per shotgun discipline as host nation, but the World Cup will be a prime opportunity to gain an extra place two years out from 2012. This will be the first time the UK has ever held a Shotgun World Cup - ranked only behind the World Championships and Olympic Games in importance. The event is likely to attract around 650 competitors from 85 countries as the battle for direct Olympic qualification places and points commences. UK Sport are supporting the event with up to £275,000 from its National Lottery funded World Class Events Programme.

Clare Hartley, UK Sport's Events Consultant, said: "We are really excited to be investing in the 2010 World Cup. In addition to the lure of Olympic qualification, the event will give us a brilliant opportunity to build capacity for the Olympic Games two years later. We will have the chance to give international competition experience to around 50 volunteers and 35 officials in a technical sport where highly trained personnel are vital to the safety and success of the event." The event will mirror the Olympic shot gun progamme, with Skeet and Trap competition for men and women and Double Trap for the men.

Phil Boakes, CEO of British Shooting, said, "This event will give GBR shooters the opportunity to use their home advantage to the fullest. All those on World Class, men, women and juniors will be taking the opportunity to practice and become completely familiar with all conditions on the layouts that will be used. Hopefully during the event, they will be cheered on to victory by the partisan crowd supporting them". The event is also being supported by West Dorset District Council, Active Dorset, the South-West Regional Development Agency and Weymouth and Dorset Borough Council.