Find your true perspective

Photo: Lord Coe meets Plymouth athletes.

"Welcome to Sport England SW e-newsletter and thank you for taking the opportunity to read through it. Colleagues at Sport England and a wide range of other partners involved in the Delivery System are working hard to sustain and increase opportunities for people to take part in sport across the region. At a time when the Foresight report* highlights the scale of the obesity problem facing the country as a whole and the media report that in 25 years half the population will be obese, then sport and active recreation have a critical contribution to make. And not only that but to create positive media coverage as well!

In this edition of the e-newsletter, we cover the thoughts around social enterprise models and how sporting opportunities can be sustained through this delivery model. The Government announcement on the Comprehensive Spending Review provides us with a matrix of Public Service Agreements and National Indicators and we have a simple guide for you. Sport England has launched its work on Sports Segments which will provide useful information relating to our customers. There is also a wide range of information on coaching and volunteering with access to DVDs to view what happens in our County Sport Partnerships.

On a sad note Tim Stocks, sports coach UK CDO based at WESPORT County Sports Partnership sadly passed away on 10 October after a brave and dignified battle against cancer. Our thoughts are with Tim’s family.

Please do forward this newsletter to your relevant networks and partners across the Region so they can take advantage of these valuable sources of information and assistance."

With best wishes

Jim Clarke
Regional Director
Sport England SW
Jim.clarke@sportengland.org

* View statement from Chairman of Sport England, Derek Mapp

Funding

£5m drive to recruit sports coaches

DCMS Secretary of State James Purnell has launched a campaign to recruit 10,000 voluntary community sports coaches in 70 of the most deprived areas of the country.

The drive will help build strong communities by getting adults and young people involved in activities. It will also help increase sport participation and help develop sporting talent.

View press release.

Boost for British Surfing

Sport England, in conjunction with the British Surfing Association (BSA), has announced a £94,000 boost which will see the funding of a new Regional Surf Development Coach within the South West. The position and the funding has been created to strengthen the quality of surf coaching that is available across the area and to build the crucial surf club structure which is integral to the growth of surfing as a regular sporting activity amongst people of all ages.

The new position will be based in the BSA's headquarters at Fistral Beach, Newquay, however the Regional Surf Development Coach will travel the length and breadth of the South West to examine the current structure and build a strong, new system.

The post will see the successful applicant working in consultation with the BSA National Director, to write and deliver an agreed strategic development programme to create and maintain an active surf club culture and network in the South West and to subsequently increase grass roots participation numbers in surfing.

Community Investment Fund - Annual Strategy 2007/08

The Regional Plan Bulletin shows priorities for funding for 2007/08.

We believe it is important to be clear with you about the likelihood of funding from Sport England at the earliest opportunity so that you can make a realistic judgement on whether to invest the time, effort, finances and other valuable resources in developing your project.

We aim to inform you about the main criteria and priorities against which projects will be assessed, funding levels involved, and signpost you on for more help and assistance.

Download Regional Plan Bulletin.

Publications

South West Annual Review 2006 / 2007

Check what progress we've made with the South West Plan for Sport, our business plan targets and our county sport partnerships. See what grants we've awarded and how we've worked to get more people active.

View the video of the year's activities, find out about our participation targets, the framework for Sport in the Region, hear first hand from our County Sport Partnerships, hear from some of our projects and some edited highlights from last year's Regional Conference – Making an impact – Let the Challenge begin.

Download South West Annual Review (pdf)

For a hard copy version of annual review and dvd, please email: infosw@sportengland.org

Social Enterprise Bulletin

Our new publication for this month Social Enterprise and Sport is part of series of bulletins to take forward the strategic aims of the Regional Plan for Sport within the southwest.

The aim is to help partners in the region understand the potential of social enterprise models to deliver financially sustainable sports activities and in particular discover what a social enterprise is and its relevance to sport.

Download Social Enterprise bulletin

You will need flashplayer to view the social enterprise video case studies below. Each video is approximately 10 minutes long so viewing over a broadband connection is recommended:

- Mevagissey Activity Centre (video)
- Crewkerne Aqua Centre (part 1 and part 2)
- Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (Part 1 and part 2)

Volunteering Framework for Action

Read about the framework and vision for Volunteering in the Region through to 2012. See how Sport England will contribute alongside our partners to make an impact to the volunteer workforce – creating more high quality volunteering opportunities and sustraining participation in sport at the local level.

Download Volunteering Framework Bulletin

Planning

Public Service Agreements and National Indicators

The Government announced this month the new Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets and a single set of National Indicators that will be used to determine Local Area Agreement Targets.

View a useful summary document for those involved in negotiating these agreements for Sport.

2012 Relocatable Venues

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Olympic Delivery Authority have invited Sport England, to assess the market for reusable venues as part of the 2012 sustainable legacy for London and the UK.

Click to view the prospectus and frequently asked questions along with details on the type of venue which is being considered for relocation. You can also express an interest in being an end user of one of these venues or its assets by completing an expression of interest form and returning it to Sport England by 9 November 2007.

Useful Guidance

Sport England has been a statutory consultee on planning applications affecting playing fields since August 1996. As well as protecting our playing fields from any application that is detrimental to sport, we also advise on the major sporting developments and infrastructures across the Region by working closely with local authority partners to ensure sport remains high on their agenda; both in policy and investment terms.

Some useful guidance to help promote sport and ensure investment through the planning system:

Given the recent press about obesity, lifestyles and environments, Active Design promotes ways in which sport can be at the heart of new housing and community developments.

As part of the Building Schools for the Future initiative, Designing for Sport on School Sites provides design guidance on ways in which improved sporting facilities can be included on education sites.

In a time of increasing demands on existing public funds, sport needs to look towards different funding opportunities to help provide for new community sport and recreation facilities. Providing for Sport and Recreation Through New Housing Development looks at ways in which we can look to secure maximum developer contributions towards sport.

Lord Coe visits region

Photo: Lord Coe and Ged Roddy, Chair of the South West Regional Sports Board, open the Applied Biomechanics Suite at the University of Bath

Lord Coe paid visits to four South West venues last month as he saw for himself the work being undertaken in the region as we prepare for the London 2012 Games.

The former Olympic champion met athletes, students and partners as he went to Bath, Plymouth, Swindon and Hartpury in Gloucestershire.

In Bath he opened the Applied Biomechanics Suite at the city's university, whilst also seeing the facilities at Team Bath.

He then travelled to Plymouth to meet the best athletes in the city as he made a special visit to the College of St Mark and St John.

From there he went to Swindon to take part in the town's Get Active Day and inspired youngsters to take exercise and get fit.

And then it was on to Hartpury College in Gloucestershire to open the venue's International Equestrian Arena.

Along the way he was kept informed of the region's preparations for 2012, and was accompanied by South West England Director for the 2012 Games Guy Lavender.

Sebastian Coe said: "Our vision for the London 2012 Games is that they inspire young people to take up sport. The programmes I have learnt about today are enabling this to happen right now. The support being given to the area's up and coming stars is invaluable and I wish them every success for the future."

Upcoming

2012 provides South West education inspiration

23 October 2007 - Sandy Park Conference Centre, Exeter

Once-in-a-generation opportunities provided by the London 2012 Games will be the underlying theme during a major education and skills conference organised by the Learning and Skills Council in partnership with Team South West.

Specialists from around the South West will hear how the Government, LSC and other agencies are using the Games to inspire young people, improve education and increase sports and community engagement across the region.

Speakers include 2012 co-ordinators from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, the South West 2012 office and the South West LSC. Podium, the further and higher education unit for the 2012 Games, will also attend.

More information

Celebrate Community Sport with us

13 November 2007 - Wembley

Come and hear more about Sport England's recent achievements and plans for the future at our Annual Open Meeting. You can also watch martial art demonstrations and go back stage on the Stadium Tour.

Deadline for ticket applications is 31 October 2007

More on Annual Open Meeting.

Culture Works 8

Having the time of our lives - Culture and the wellbeing of the South West’s older people

14 November 2007 (10am – 1pm followed by lunch) - Darts Farm Village, Topsham, Exeter (off the M5)

“When it comes to population change, perhaps the biggest challenge for the cultural sector and British society in general, is to move beyond the statistics, beyond the ‘NHS meltdown’ and the ‘pensions crisis’ headlines. We must humanise the debate and bring it to life. The ageing population remains an abstract concept for most…our challenge is to ensure that we all engage with the issues: socially, culturally and emotionally…after all, none of us is getting any younger” - Growing Old Disgracefully, Culture North West, June 07

This seminar on culture and demographic ageing is organised by Culture South West and will feed into the South West RDA hosted Great Debates on ‘a growing, ageing and more diverse population’.

Whether you are a policy-maker within a cultural agency or Local Authority, or involved in the health and wellbeing agenda, volunteering, lifelong learning or social inclusion, demographic change in the region is likely to have an impact on your future strategies and practices. This free seminar will give you a chance to start understanding the issues in greater detail.

Two inspirational speakers have been secured for this event including: Professor George Giarchi of the University of Plymouth who will provide some interesting ‘food for thought’ on the subject of ageing, and Simon Goodenough, Director of Upstream Healthy Living Centre and founding Chair of the National Healthy Living Alliance who will discuss the Upstream model which engages socially hard-to-reach, isolated and vulnerable older people in mid Devon’s rural communities.

The seminar will also present the findings and recommendations from research commissioned by Culture South West and Age Concern entitled The Cultural Third Age – understanding the impact of demographic ageing on South West England’s cultural sector.

There will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions prior to the serving of a delicious (regionally sourced) lunch when keynote speakers join representatives from Culture South West, Age Concern England (SW), South West RDA and Equality South West for a Q&A panel discussion.

This seminar aims to:

- celebrate the region’s older people as an asset and a resource for the South West
- bring together agencies concerned with older people and the cultural sector within the region to better understand the issues and how policies can be developed to meet the needs and maximise opportunities for older people
- raise awareness of recent discussions surrounding the establishment of a Regional Forum on Ageing

To ensure you secure a place at this free event, please e-mail a completed booking form (one per delegate) by 24 October 2007 to laura.thwaite@southwestrda.org.uk

Other links:

www.culturesouthwest.org.uk

www.southwestrda.org.uk

www.swdebates.info

www.oursouthwest.com

Sunday Times 2007 Sportswomen of the Year awards

20 November 2007 - Lord’s Cricket Ground

Held in association with Sony Ericsson.

Now in their 20th year, the awards are amongst the most prestigious and influential in the British sporting calendar. The event promises to be a memorable occasion, recognising women at all levels of British sporting life including administrators working tirelessly behind the scenes, students and PE teachers nurturing future talent.

The awards are supported by UK Sport, CCPR, Sport England and the Women’s Sports Foundation.

Visit www.timesonline.co.uk/sportswomen

Regional Conference for Sport 2008

27/28 February 2008 - Center Parcs, Longleat

'Altogether Now - The business of Sport' will offer endless interactive opportunities! We will once again be holding a Market place following the success of last year's event, so if you know of any business or club that might benefit from being part of this event, please contact Sue Cooper at the Regional Office on 0207 273 1876.

You may remember that last year we were over-subscribed and that many of you asked for early notification so that attendance could be built in for whole teams as part of staff training and development exercises.

To register your interest email eventssouthwest@sportengland.org.