12 August 2010: Nominate Now for the Energize Awards 2010 in association with Shropshire Star
Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, are calling for people to nominate their local heroes who are currently playing, working or volunteering in sport or physical activity in Shropshire and/or Telford & Wrekin.
Energize STW has launched the nominations process for the fourth annual Energize Awards which are to be held in October. This year there are even more opportunities to recognise local achievements in the sport and physical activity sectors as four new categories have been added. Now, adult and junior sports teams, young sports people and local employers will also have the opportunity to gain recognition for their achievements.
The award categories this year are:
• Coach of the Year
• Volunteer of the Year
• Young Volunteer of the Year
• Sports Person of the Year
• Young Sports Person of the Year
• Community Club of the Year
• Adult Team of the Year
• Junior Team of the Year
• Innovative Community Project of the Year
• Employer of the Year
• Active Lifestyles Award
• Outstanding Contribution Award
Chris Child, Partnership Director for Energize STW commented, “There is some excellent work happening in the County to help people to be more active, regardless of their background or ability, and the Energize Awards are an opportunity to recognise and thank the people who are contributing to this. Last years awards were a huge success with a number of people and projects receiving well-earned recognition for the work and time that they put in to sport and physical activity in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. With the addition of more categories this year, we look forward to an evening of greater celebration than we have ever had before.”
Energize STW are also delighted to announce that the Shropshire Star are the new major partner for the Energize Awards.
These awards are a fantastic opportunity for local people and organisations to be recognised and celebrated for their passion, dedication and commitment to sport and physical activity and an Energize Award really can lead to greater things.
After naming Wrekin Riders BMX Club the Club of the Year in 2009, Energize STW nominated them for the prestigious Central Council of Physical Recreation Club of the Year award. Competition was tough but Wrekin Riders went on to officially be named one of the top 10 sports clubs in the country. Also, having been short listed in two categories at last years Energize Awards, NHS Telford & Wrekin’s Women in Motion project was put forward for the BBC Midlands Power of Sport award. The project was short listed to the final three and the ladies leading the project were recognised at an evening of celebration held at The Mailbox in Birmingham.
The deadline for nominations is Friday 10th September. You can nominate online or download a copy of the nomination form and criteria. All of these documents are on our website www.energizestw.org.uk in the ‘Energize Awards Evening’ section. Alternatively you can telephone 01743 255079 or email paula.pugh@shropshire.gov.uk and the details will be sent to you.
The Energize Awards 2010 in association with Shropshire Star will take place on Thursday 21st October at Shrewsbury Town Football Club. Telford & Wrekin Council will also be inviting all nominations received from the borough to a special celebration evening on 30th September at The Place, Oakengates.
5 July 2010: Olympic Mascot coming to Wenlock Olympian Games
Press release issued by the Wenlock Olympian Society.
The London 2012 Olympic mascot will be a VIP visitor at the annual Wenlock Olympian Games in Much Wenlock on Sunday 11th July.
‘Wenlock’, the official London 2012 Olympic Games mascot, will be coming along to the main athletics day of the Olympian Games, where he will meet spectators and participants and join in a 200 yard fun run for children under 7.
The Games organisers, Wenlock Olympian Society, are particularly excited to have Wenlock join them, as the Olympic mascot is named after the beautiful Shropshire town of Much Wenlock, the home of Dr William Penny Brookes. Brookes founded the Wenlock Olympian Games in 1850, and was the inspiration for the international Olympic event that we see today. The Paralympic mascot, is named Mandeville in recognition of Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a surgeon at Stoke Mandeville which is the home of the Paralympic Games.
Roy Rogers, Wenlock Olympian Society President commented, “We are delighted to have Wenlock at this year’s Wenlock Olympian Games. It is an honour to host one of the London 2012 mascots named after the town. I am sure that William Penny Brookes would be immensely proud of this acknowledgement and to see how his vision of an international Olympic Games event has come to fruition.”
The names of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots were revealed by Olympic gold medallist and WOS Vice President, Jonathan Edwards, , at a special event in Much Wenlock on 19th May. The story of the mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville, is told in a short film that can be watched on the London 2012 website at www.london2012.com/mascots.
The Wenlock Olympian Games will open the batting with a Kwik Cricket competition on Friday 9th July on the Gaskell Grounds – the home of the early Olympian Games. The 200 yard-under sevens fun run with Wenlock is on the Sunday will take place on the newly laid athletics track. The final Games’ event is the Golf competition at Shrewsbury Golf Club on Monday 12th July.
For more information about the Wenlock Olympian Games please visit www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk. Download a programme for the Games.
22 April 2010: Volunteers – Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Needs YOU!A major new West Midlands volunteering initiative inspired by the London 2012 Games.
Press release issued by The West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games joined the West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games earlier this month to launch, and support, a major new region-wide volunteering initiative, inspired by the London 2012 Games.
‘Volunteers – we need YOU!’ aims to encourage people across the West Midlands to spare just one day to volunteer at a one-off regional event or an hour a week helping people in their own communities, like Telford based volunteer Diane Halford.
Diane Halford volunteers for Shropshire Junior County Badminton Club as the Secretary and Head of Coaching & Development averaging 10 to 15 hours a week helping the youngsters' Club. She has been involved in badminton in Shropshire for 30 years and will become the President of the Senior County Association at their AGM to be held this week. Diane volunteers alongside working full-time.
Diane Halford said: “If it wasn’t for volunteers a lot of sports, like badminton, wouldn’t carry on. Volunteers make a real difference and are the backbone of many sports clubs up and down the Country. I volunteer because I want to make a difference and give something back to the sport I have been involved in for many years.”
Seb Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: “Our vision is to use the power of the 2012 Games to inspire lasting change. They offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something extraordinary, to inspire everyone to use their passion to help others. ‘Volunteers – we need YOU!’ will allow many more people in the West Midlands to make a contribution and achieve their personal best and create a lasting legacy.”
David Moorcroft, Chair of the West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games: “Volunteering is just one way that people in the West Midlands can get involved now with, and be inspired by London 2012. Diane is a fantastic example of how people across our region are making a real difference in their own communities.”
Granted the Inspire Mark, the badge of the London 2012 Inspire Programme, for innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
‘Volunteers – we need YOU’ signposts people to a volunteering opportunities notice board at www.wmfor2012.com/volunteering which also provides practical advice and guidance on volunteering as well as profiling some of the West Midlands most dedicated volunteers.
To find out more about ‘Volunteers – we need YOU!’, or any of the ways you can get involved in activities in the region, visit http://www.wmfor2012.com/
To view the Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin 'Volunteers - we need YOU!' flyer please click here.
13 April 2010: Celebrity guests at official opening of new Leisure Centre in Church Stretton
Press information issued by Shropshire Council:
Local celebrities, dignitaries and talented sports performers will be on the ceremonial platform on Saturday 17 April to officially open the new Church Stretton Leisure Centre.
The ceremony will begin at 10am where Shropshire paralympic archer, Kay Lucas, will cut the ribbon accompanied by two local sports champions from Church Stretton School, Jamie Davies and Katie Parkes. This will then be followed by a tour of the site.
In celebration of the opening, there will also be a Community Celebration event from 10am until 4pm involving over 80 community groups showcasing the vast range of sporting, artistic and leisure activities available in the area. All activities and taster sessions are free of charge.
The new Church Stretton Leisure Centre provides a wide range of modern, state-of-the-art facilities including: a multi-purpose sports hall with four badminton courts outlayed; a fitness suite with 18 pieces of gym equipment; a dance studio available for a range of activity classes; and associated dry-side and community changing areas.
There is also an open entrance area with drinks and snacks vending, a reception desk and associated staff offices, and a general purpose meeting room that will be made available for a range of courses and room hire to the community. These new facilities are all linked internally to the existing 20m x 9m / 4-Lane swimming pool and associated wet-side changing areas by an exhibition space which will be made available for local artists to display their work.
The outdoor facilities include five new tennis courts which can also be used for netball and general spports activities, and at the front of the building there is ample designated car parking.
Church Stretton Leisure Centre is a real example of shared education and community facilities. The sports hall, community room and outside tennis courts have been delivered from education budgets, while the community areas including the fitness suite, dance studio and link to the swimming pool have been provided by funding from the former South Shropshire District Council, Sport England and the Shropshire Access Partnership. In addition, members of the community have been raising funds towards equipping out the community areas and have made a significant contribution to the purchase of the fitness suite and dance studio equipment.
Tim Smith, Shropshire Council’s Assistant Director for Children and Young People's Services, said: "We're very pleased to be a leading partner in this exciting project, which opens up a whole range of opportunities for the school and the community, and both working together within Church Stretton and the surrounding rural area."
George Candler, Shropshire Council’s Assistant Director for Culture and Leisure Services, said: “The new centre is a great asset for local people and visitors from further afield, and another example of extending Shropshire Council’s network of high quality community facilities throughout the area.”
Though the buildings belong to Shropshire Council, operational management of Church Stretton Leisure Centre will be undertaken by Teme Leisure, part of South Shropshire Leisure Ltd, who also operate sites at Bishop’s Castle, Cleobury Mortimer and Ludlow.
Please click here to download a copy of the launch day timetable.
17 February 2010: New Shropshire Star Youth Sport Supplement Launches
Rising Stars, a new monthly section of the Shropshire Star devoted exclusively to all that is best in youth sport launched today.
The supplement will feature and profile those teams or individuals who are excelling in their particular sport. The key aims of the supplement are:
- To celebrate and raise the profile of sport across the county
- To increase young people’s participation and enjoyment of sport
- Supporting and profiling promising youngsters
- Raising the awareness of the benefits of sport and physical education
- To raise the awareness of disability sport
Each week, thousands of children strive for success on Shropshire’s pitches, greens, wickets and lawns.
The county’s production line of talent has also taken stars on to the international stage, with people like former Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Joe Hart becoming a star of the Premier League.
Shropshire’s sporting clubs are open to all ages. In recent years, young girl footballers from Church Stretton have earned success on the national stage.
The supplement is being produced as a joint venture between the Shropshire Star and Shropshire’s schools sports partnerships, Energize Shropshire Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire Council Leisure Services with the aim of creating a resource of information for future demands for sports information arising from the increased levels of participation in sport and physical activity.
The first issue of Rising Stars was released on Wednesday 17th February 2010. Look out for future issues in the Shropshire Star newspaper or visit their website www.shropshirestar.com/sport/rising-stars-the-best-of-shropshire-youth-sport/ for more information.
15 February 2010: Adopt Your Athletes – Support Your Local Club
Press release issued by the British Athlete's Commission:
The nation’s elite sportsmen and women are now raising funds for local sports clubs as well as helping the nation’s sporting fortunes.
The Elite Club Initiative, pioneered by the British Athlete’s Commission (BAC), the representative body of the nation’s Olympic and Paralympic competitors, is designed to enable local sports clubs to use this association with the nation’s elite athletes to generate funds to help nurture the new wave of sporting stars.
The scheme is open to any local sports club, who simply encourage members and their friends to make a donation through the nation-wide ‘Adopt Your Athletes’ scheme which is encouraging those with local families to forge a direct link with the nation’s elite athletes.
All supporting individuals will receive a thank you email plus a photo certificate signed personally by an athlete, as well as updates throughout the following year on the progress of the nation’s elite sportsmen and women. When making a donation, you will be prompted to nominate a local sports club, and all registered clubs receive £5 per donation made in their name.
The British Athlete’s Commission works to make sure that the athletes’ voices are heard and offers a pathway to pursue and resolve issues they face. By adopting the athletes you will be directly supporting them in the run-up to 2012.
Zac Purchase, Rowing Olympic Gold Medallist at Beijing, says: “We are all very proud to be able to represent our country in our disciplines but when faced with injury or legal issues we have very little support. The BAC offers us a safety net and we incredibly grateful to all those that support us, especially with 2012 on the horizon.”
Adopting an athlete will cost just £12 a year and is available for purchase via www.britishathletes.org where you click to Pledge Your Support!
21 January 2010: Minister Urges Thousands More Sports Clubs to Register for Tax Benefits
News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 21 January 2010:
Thousands of amateur sports clubs across the UK are missing out on a share of tax savings running into millions of pounds, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said today.
Sutcliffe wants more clubs to join the Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) scheme so they will have more money to help drive a sporting legacy from 2012.
The rallying cry comes as Sutcliffe visited the Stocksbridge Tennis, Rugby and Netball Clubs in Sheffield that are registered with the CASC scheme that has, according to figures produced by Deloitte, resulted in over £60 million worth of tax savings for sports clubs in the last seven years. There are over 5,500 clubs currently registered with the CASC scheme.
CASC legislation came in via the 2002 Finance Act and enables amateur sports clubs that meet certain criteria to qualify for a number of tax advantages. These include:
- Mandatory business rate relief for 80 per cent of the total business rates bill
- The potential to reclaim Gift Aid on donations from individuals – for every £1 donated clubs can claim an extra 25p tax refund from the government with an additional 3p per £1 available until April 2011
- Exemption from Corporation Tax on profits if their annual trading income is under £30,000 per year. Clubs eligible are those that encourage participation in a qualifying sport, are open to the whole community, without discrimination, and ensure profits go back into the club, benefitting sport.
Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe said:
“It is great that we have signed up more than 5,500 clubs to the Community Amateur Sports Club scheme and that many sports clubs are reaping the benefits it brings. But there are thousands of clubs out there that are missing out.
“Sports clubs will play a crucial role in helping us reach our goal of getting 2 million people more active by 2013. Being part of the scheme means that clubs will have more funds at their disposal to help increase participation.”
CCPR’s (Central Council of Physical Recreation) Chair Brigid Simmonds said:
“Thanks to the CASC scheme, thousands of sports clubs have received a boost from the taxman; in fact over £60 million has been saved by the 5,500 clubs already registered. Through registering as a CASC, clubs can keep the money they have raised in the community. That means it can be re-invested in kit, in coaching and in facilities - all for the good of local sport.
“In these difficult financial times, CCPR is urging sports clubs to take advantage of this great opportunity to maximise every penny and through the cascinfo website, they can find out how.”
Nick Jacobs, senior manager in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said:
“The advantages of the CASC scheme are clear. The tax savings allow clubs to invest in better facilities which in turn should encourage more young people to take up sport. Taking advantage of the existing tax benefits for community sport is the first crucial step towards nurturing our sporting abilities and enhancing the nation’s future sporting potential.”
For further information contact:
Department for Culture, Media and Sport press office on 020 7211 6971 or CCPR press office on 020 7976 3930.
14 January 2010: West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games welcomes David Moorcroft as Chair
The West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games welcomes Olympian and former Chief Executive of the UK Athletics, David Moorcroft as its new Chair; a role which will see David leading the group to ensure the West Midlands region fully maximises the benefits of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Coventry Legend, David Moorcroft is best known for his world record-breaking and medal-winning exploits on the track in the 1970s and 80s, then for his athletics punditry on the BBC between 1983 and 1997. It is for his remarkable 1982 World Record of 13:00.41 over 5000m that David Moorcroft is best remembered within athletics. From 1981 to 1995 David developed the Coventry Sports Foundation for which he was Chief Executive and remains a Trustee. In 1997, David was appointed Chief Executive of UK Athletics where he remained for ten years creating the most commercially successful athletics governing body in the world with a turnover approaching £20million.David Moorcroft was awarded an MBE in 1983 and an OBE in 1998 for his services to British sport.
Hosted by Advantage West Midlands (AWM) the West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games is the consortium officially recognised by the London 2012’s Nations and Regions group to lead and drive forward 2012 activity in the region by bringing together representatives from each of the six sub regions along with representatives from business, sport, culture, tourism, education and skills as well as the Youth Parliament, disability interests and Government agencies.
David Moorcroft, Chair of the West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games, said: “I am delighted to take up the post of Chair of the Leadership Group, the year ahead for the West Midlands will be incredibly important and exciting in terms of making the most out of London 2012 and in working to deliver the Leadership Group’s mission to create an Olympic moment for everyone in the region.
Nigel Russell, Head of Tourism, Culture and the Olympics at AWM said: “It is fantastic news that David Moorcroft is able to take the helm at the start of what is already looking like an exciting year for the region in terms of 2012 activity. I would like to thank Cllr Chris Saint for his work in driving the Leadership Group forward since 2005, I feel confident that David Moorcroft will continue this good work and support the Leadership Group in making the most of 2012 for the region.”
David’s appointment marks a very exciting and busy year for the Heart of England, West Midlands region. Highlights and dates for the diary for January to April 2010 include:
- Businesses will continue to benefit with Business Awareness Workshops and Procurement Training Workshops hosted by Business Link West Midlands and delivered by West Midlands Chambers of Commerce ensuring businesses are equipped with the knowledge and skills to tender for contracts awarded by London 2012. Over 42 companies have already been successful through CompeteFor, a free service that enables businesses to compete for contract opportunities linked to the London 2012 Games. The Leadership Group will be working to build on these successes throughout 2010.
- In January the West Midlands Culture Programme for London 2012 will announce the next successful People Dancing commissions, projects funded by Legacy Trust UK, Arts Council England West Midlands and AWM, that will join the likes of Town Hall Birmingham’s Bollywood Steps and Birmingham Opera Company’s Othello as using the inspiration of the London 2012 Games to get as many people as possible dancing in the West Midlands.
- Registration for Open Weekend 2010, 23 – 25 July, will open in February with the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) hosting a workshop in the region to highlight how organisations can get involved. Following on from the success of Open Weekend in 2009 which saw almost 50,000 people in the West Midlands participate in and enjoy over 50 events across the region, the West Midlands Culture Programme for London 2012 team are keen to make sure Open Weekend 2010 is even more exciting, engaging people from across the region and beyond.
- The start of the year will see the Leadership Group support the launch of a volunteering campaign aimed at promoting routes and opportunities linked to London 2012 for volunteering in the region. This will be supported by a new volunteering opportunities notice board on the wmfor2012.com website.
- March will see the West Midlands Culture Programme for London 2012 invite cultural organisations and agencies to a showcase event to find out more about the programme in the region which consists of People Dancing; Community Games; Festivals and events (including Open Weekend); Inspire Mark Projects; and maximising the impact of major projects which for the West Midlands includes Film Nation led by Screen West Midlands, and with funding from Advantage West Midlands; The World Shakespeare Festival led by the Royal Shakespeare Company and Unlimited, the UK’s largest ever celebration of arts and disability culture and sport. March will also see the launch of the Film Nation Shorts programme.
- The second International Dance Festival Birmingham (IDFB 2010), working in partnership with the West Midlands Culture Programme for London 2012, will take place in the city from 19 April to 16 May. This exciting initiative is once again being driven by producers DanceXchange and Birmingham Hippodrome with funding from Advantage West Midlands, Arts Council England West Midlands, and Birmingham City Council, and sponsorship from Brewin Dolphin. IDFB will showcase a huge range of dance styles at venues across both the city and the region.
- At the start of April, Lord Seb Coe will launch a Community Legends campaign in the region inviting people throughout the West Midlands to nominate individuals within their communities who they feel are legends; living the Olympic and Paralympic values.
For further information on all 2012 activity in the West Midlands visit www.wmfor2012.com
4 January 2010: Call for Nominations for West Midlands 2010 Disability Sports Awards
Clubs and individuals across Shropshire have been asked to nominate teams, players, athletes, coaches and supporters for the 11, prestigious 2010 npower Midlands Disability Sports Awards; the county did exceptionally well in 2009, winning a total of four titles.
Telford-based Paralympian silver medallist, Mickey Bushell and cricketer Shaun Rigby – also from Telford – were both short listed for the Male Sports Personality of the Year award, with Mickey winning the title. Oswestry’s talented table tennis and badminton player, Alex Edmonds, won the Young Male Achiever of the Year Award. A second award went to Oswestry, when Flo Griffiths won the Volunteer of the Year Award for her support of North Shropshire Special Olympics and Newport’s 2008 team GB wheelchair basketball ace, Sinclair Thomas, went on to be presented with the Coach of the Year trophy for his achievements as assistant men’s coach with the England Paralympian team in Beijing.
Kevin Rodgers, community involvement executive for sponsors, npower, is keen for as many nominations as possible to be considered, saying, “The judging panel will sit together at the beginning of February and, by the end of the day, we will have agreed the shortlisted finalists. Each year we find out about amazing achievements that many individuals and clubs have kept under their hats and it is a highlight in my year to be at the awards ceremony and see public recognition given, where it really is deserved.”
The 2010 ceremony will be at Aston Villa Football Club, Birmingham on Thursday, 25 March, with ITV‘s London Tonight presenter, Matt Teale, hosting the ceremony. Finalists, three from each of the 11 award categories, will be rubbing shoulders with a host of celebrity guests and leading lights in the sporting world.
Around 300 guests will be attending the event, organised by the English Federation of Disability Sports. Dennis Hodgkins, regional development manager at the EFDS, wants to encourage people to get nominating, as he explains: “The nomination form can be downloaded from http://www.efds.co.uk/ and the deadline for submission is Friday, February 5, 2010. Finalists will be announced in early March.
26 October 2009: Dance Stars Launch Campaign to get Nation on the Floor
Campaign aims to get 100,000 more active through dance
The Department of Health's 'Dance Champions' Group, will embark on a nationwide tour to get the country dancing, Public Health Minister Gillian Merron announced on Thursday 15th October.
Dance stars including Arlene Phillips, former Come Dancing presenter Angela Rippon, Capital Radio's Lisa Snowdon and Strictly Come Dancing pro Darren Bennett joined Health Minister Gillian Merron and Dance Champions Chair Rod Aldridge, to launch their campaign to get 100,000 people more active through dance in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games.
The Dance Champions Campaign, part of Dance4Life, will see the Dance Champions Group:
- travel the length and breadth of the country to host free mass-participation 'dance-celebration' events in each region. The events will encourage people new to dance and those who used to enjoy dancing when they were younger to get involved and get active;
- offer free taster dance sessions for people who aren't very active and provide people with information about how they can get more involved in dance locally;
- create the first ever dance directory website, providing a one-stop-shop to let people know how they can get dancing;
- stage a Dance Summit to bring together national organisations involved in all types of dance and rally them behind the common goal of getting the nation active through dance. The champions will work with dance organisations to get a clearer picture of how the work of the dance sector can be co-ordinated to help get the population more active.
Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron said:
"Our Dance Champions are some of the best known and leading talents of the dance world, but you don't have to be a professional to enjoy dancing and feel the positive effect it can have on your health.
"People of all ages and abilities can get active to music and have a lot of fun too.
"The Chief Medical Officer recommends that adults do 30 minutes of physical activity at least five times a week, but over 27 million of us don't manage it. With the leadership of the dance champions, we want to capture the national enthusiasm for dance and get at least 100,000 more adults active through dance in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.
"The Dance Champions will help to make the Government's Dance4Life campaign 'come to life' for many people across the country”
Dance Champion, Arlene Phillips said:
"We want to start a revolution to get the nation on their feet and
onto the dance floor!"
"Dancing is a great way to get fit and healthy and the Dance Champions want to get everyone involved. It doesn't matter whether you're young or old or if you've never danced before - we'll be touring the country to give everyone a chance to get dancing."
Rod Aldridge, Chair of the Dance Champions Group and of the Aldridge Foundation, said:
"Dance is one of the best ways to get people of all ages on their feet and fit. So whether you're fifteen or fifty, Dance Champions will offer you enjoyable ways to try all forms of dance.
"The Dance Champions tour is an incredible initiative backed by dance experts and celebrity ambassadors who'll be bringing dance opportunities to your door”.
For more information about Dance Champions, visit the website www.dancechampions.org.uk/.
Participants and organisations wishing to become involved in Dance Champions can register their interest via the contact section of the Dance Champions website.
For more information about the Exercise, Movement and Dance Partnership, visit the website www.emdp.info.
23 October 2009: Energize Awards 2009 Hailed a Success
Individuals and projects from across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin were celebrated at the Energize Awards 2009 in association with Paycare held last week (Thursday 22nd October).
These awards are held annually to recognise local achievement in sport and physical activity across the whole of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.
This is the third year that Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin has held this hugely successful event, which took place at the Prostar Stadium in Shrewsbury and was attended by almost 200 people, including goalkeeping legend, Peter Shilton OBE MBE.
Phil Lloyd from Wellington was named Coach of the Year and went on to take the prestigious William Penny Brookes Trophy for outstanding contribution to sport and physical activity for his amazing achievements in Cricket with Wellington Cricket Club and Shropshire Cricket Board and his passion, dedication and commitment to sport. Paralympic silver medallist, Mickey Bushell from Ketley Bank was also successful on the night, winning the Sportsperson of the Year award for his continuing success in wheelchair racing.
NHS Telford & Wrekin Community Health Service’s ‘Exercise for All’ project had a fantastic night, winning both categories that they were nominated in. The project, which was started in 2003, won the Health Improvement Through Physical Activity and the Project of the Year awards. This project has improved the health of women in deprived areas of Telford by training members of those communities to become fitness instructors, who then deliver classes at local venues for an affordable price. This fantastic scheme has seen enormous success which has largely been thanks to the instructors and their devotion to the scheme.
Chris Child, Partnership Director for Energize STW commented,
“Congratulations to all of the people who won and were nominated for an Energize Award. It is a pleasure to be able to recognise the people, clubs and projects that are doing such good work in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Without people like them, and indeed all those for whom we received nominations, there would be fewer opportunities for people to start, stay and succeed in sport and physical activity.
“I would also like to thank everyone who nominated this year. The standard of the nominees was exceptionally high and reducing the numbers down to three for each category was very difficult. Although we can only acknowledge a small percentage of the people working or volunteering in sport and physical activity at the Energize Awards, we know that there are many people out there doing fantastic work. ”
Also winners on the night were Aqueduct’s Diane Halford who took home the Volunteer of the Year award for the time that she has given to help Shropshire Junior Badminton Club to develop and improve, and Wrekin Riders BMX Club who won the Club of the Year award for the outstanding level of commitment and dedication this club and its members have shown to developing BMX biking in the area.
The winners of the eight Energize awards were:
Coach of the Year
• Phil Lloyd from Wellington in Telford for Wellington Cricket Club & Shropshire Cricket Board
Volunteer of the Year
• Diane Halford from Aqueduct in Telford for Shropshire Junior Badminton Club
Sportsperson of the Year
• Mickey Bushell from Ketley Bank in Telford for Athletics (Para)
Young Leader of the Year
• Ben Riekstins for achievements at Idsall School in Shifnal
Club of the Year
• Wrekin Riders BMX Club
Health Improvement Through Physical Activity Award
• Exercise for All - NHS Telford & Wrekin Community Health Service
Project of the Year
• Exercise for All - NHS Telford & Wrekin Community Health Service
William Penny Brookes Trophy
• Phil Lloyd from Wellington in Telford for Wellington Cricket Club & Shropshire Cricket Board
Other nominees recognised for their outstanding work were:
Also recognised on the night for their outstanding achievements were:
Runners up in the Coach of the Year category - Alex Fowlie from Brierley Hill for Wrekin Riders BMX Club in Telford and Paul Sparrow a South Shropshire Local Policing Officer from Brimfield.
Runners up in the Volunteer of the Year category – Barbara Handy from Ludlow for Ludlow Ladies Netball League and Colin Hough from Shrewsbury for Shrewsbury and Severnside Amateur Boxing Club.
Runners up in the Sportsperson of the Year category - Ben Riekstins for Athletics and Paul Szehofner from Stirchley in Telford for Rugby League.
Runners up in the Young Leader of the Year category - Michelle Fatcher from Leegomery in Telford for Football and Telford & Wrekin Hockey Club Young Players Committee (Rajesh Dhulashia, Ben Rose, Tom Williams, Mitchell Smith, Holly Janes and Ryan Link).
Runners up in the Club of the Year category – Bowbrook Archers and North Shropshire Special Olympics.
Runners up in the Health Improvement Through Physical Activity Award Category -NHS Fit for Men - NHS Telford & Wrekin Community Health Service and Women in Motion - NHS Telford & Wrekin Community Health Service.
Runners up in the Project of the Year category - Hadnall Fit and Healthy Group – Shropshire Council Leisure Services and Women in Motion - NHS Telford & Wrekin Community Health Service.
23 September 2009: Football Legend to be Special Guest at County Sports Awards
Tickets are now on sale for the Energize Awards 2009 in association with Paycare, which this year will include an after-dinner speech by former England and Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Peter Shilton OBE MBE.
The awards evening will take place on Thursday 22nd October at the Prostar Stadium, home of Shrewsbury Town Football Club from 6.30pm. Tickets for the awards cost £20 and include entry to the awards, a three course meal and a complimentary drink at the reception. Guest will also have the chance to hear the legendary Peter Shilton, who was famously the victim of the cheating Maradona ‘Hand of God’ at the 1986 World Cup, speak about his experiences.
The awards aim to celebrate and reward the success and achievements in sport and physical activity in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin over the past year. Importantly, the awards aim to recognise achievement right across the spectrum of participants; from career sportspeople to volunteers.
Chris Child, Partnership Director of Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin commented, “Peter Shilton is no stranger to hard work, having had a long and successful career in sport. We are delighted to have him as a guest at the Energize Awards and to have him join us in celebrating local achievement in sport and physical activity. I would like to invite local people and organisations to come to the awards evening and not only hear what Peter has to say, but to also hear the inspirational stories of our nominees.”
Throughout his amazing 30 year career Peter played for 11 English league clubs through which he accumulated a record 1005 League appearances. He started his football career taking over from Gordon Banks at Leicester City at just 16 years old. In 1977, Shilton joined the newly promoted Nottingham Forest, who went on to shock the footballing world by winning the league title on their return to the top flight. Even bigger success followed as Shilton was a big factor in Nottingham Forest winning two successive European Cups.
In his record 125 National appearances, the England team won 66 of their games. He was still playing at international level in the 1990 World Cup at the age 40.
Tickets can be purchased by contacting 01743 255079 or emailing paula.pugh@shropshire.gov.uk . Please book your tickets by Friday 9th October 2009.
Alternatively, please download a booking form below and return it as instructed.
Download ticket booking form – editable Word version
Download ticket booking form – non-editable PDF version
18 September 2009: 2009 Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2009 Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards which recognise leading sportswomen and unsung heroes alike.
Now in their 22nd year, the awards, which are among the most prestigious and influential in the British sporting calendar, will be presented at a ceremony in London on Tuesday November 3. The event is being sponsored by Sport England, UK Sport, and CCPR. The Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation is also lending its support and is the event’s charity partner.
You are invited to nominate a friend, colleague, professional or PE Teacher you think deserves special recognition. A panel of judges, chaired by the BBC Five Live sports broadcaster Eleanor Oldroyd, will decide the winners in each of the 11 categories. Attended by some of the leading figures within the world of sport, it promises to be a memorable occasion.
The categories are:
- Community Club Volunteer Award – Sport England award for individuals who have actively engaged with different groups of women within their community through sport
- Team of the Year – Celebrating the achievements of Britain’s best teams
- PE Teacher of the Year – Highlighting the outstanding contribution of those who teach physical education
- Young Sportswoman of the Year – UK Sport award marking the success of sportswomen under the age of 21
- The Helen Rollason Award for Inspiration – Recognising inspirational endeavour in honour of the late Helen Rollason
- Sponsorship of the Year – WSFF award for brands that have successfully supported and promoted women's sport in Britain
- Sport Businesswoman – Rewarding those making a mark in sports management, marketing and administration
- Lifetime Achievement – CCPR award which recognises a lifetime of sporting success
- Sports Leader of the Year – Celebrating excellence of those taking a lead role in women’s sport
- Disabled Sportswoman of the Year
- Sportswoman of the Year
Nominations close at midday Wednesday September 23 and everyone who nominates will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win a pair of tickets to the main event.
To register nominations email Rob Maul on rob.maul@hotmail.co.uk or go to www.timesonline.co.uk/sportswomen
21 August 2009: TENDER NOTICE - Energize STW - CON 176 - Club, Coach & Volunteer Contract
Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin County Sports Partnership are seeking enquiries from suitable organisations to contract the delivery of specific activities for the development of Clubs, Coaches and Volunteers across the sub-region that will lead to an increase in participation of children & young people and adults in sport.
Specific activity required:
- Coordinate the delivery of the national Sport Unlimited programme, working with schools and community organisations to develop enhanced provision for 11 to 19 year olds
- Coordinate the (2009/10) Leadership & Volunteering project, supporting clubs to be able to provide 16 to 19yr olds with high quality community placements
- Coordinate (and organise where necessary) National Governing Body identified coach and volunteer training courses 2009 to Mar 2012
- Coordinate and deliver (2009/10) School Sport Coordinator networking and Multi Skill Club training
Continuation of the project annually is subject to satisfactory achievement of targets and available funding. The full programme of work and timetable will be finalised with the selected organisation at the inception meeting. The contract is required to be delivered from October 1st 2009 through until September 2011.
Providers wishing to be included in the tendering process should write an expression of interest confirming their ability to undertake the above requirements and requesting a tender pack. This should be emailed to graham.macpherson@shropshire.gov.uk or sent by post to Graham Macpherson, Business Development Manager, Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY2 6ND, quoting reference CON 176, as soon as possible.
Completed Tenders must be returned by the deadline of 12 noon 11th September 2009.
Download a copy of this advert (PDF format).
20 July 2009: Nominations Call for County Sports Awards
Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin (STW), the County’s Sports Partnership, are calling for people to nominate their local heroes who are currently working or volunteering in sport or physical activity in Shropshire and/or Telford & Wrekin.
Energize STW has just launched the nominations process for the third annual Energize Awards, held in association with Paycare. These awards are a fantastic opportunity for local people and organisations to be recognised and celebrated for their passion, dedication and commitment to sport and physical activity and an Energize Award really can lead to greater things.
Bishops Castle Lawn Tennis Club, winners of the Project of the Year award in 2008 for their Tennis: Stronger Mind and Body project, went on to be short listed in the category of ‘Power of Sport Award’ at the BBC Midlands Sports Awards. Also, following their successes at the Energize Awards, disability cricket ace Shaun Rigby, silver medal-winning paralympian Mickey Bushell and dedicated coach Anne Staples, all from Telford, had their details put forward by Energize STW for npower Disability Sports Awards. All three were short listed in their categories and Mickey Bushell went on to take home the Male Sports Personality of the Year award.
Chris Child, Partnership Manager for Energize STW commented,
"There is some excellent work happening in the County to help people to be more active, regardless of their background or ability, and the Energize Awards are an opportunity to recognise and thank the people who are contributing to this.
Last years awards were a huge success with a number of people and projects receiving well-earned recognition for the work and time that they put in to sport and physical activity in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. If someone reads this and thinks of someone that they know who deserves to be acknowledged for the work they do I would urge them to nominate them for an Energize Award."
The award categories this year are:
Sports Person of the Year
Coach of the Year
Volunteer of the Year
Young Leader of the Year
Club of the Year
Health Improvement Through Physical Activity Award
Project of the Year (or Sport or Physical Activity Project of the Year)
The deadline for nominations is Friday 11th September. You can nominate online or download a copy of the nomination form and criteria from the Energize Awards Evening section of this website. Alternatively you can telephone 01743 255079 or email ann.johnson@shropshire.gov.uk and the details will be sent to you.
The Energize Awards 2009 in association with Paycare will take place on Thursday 22nd October at the Prostar Stadium, home of Shrewsbury Town Football Club.
15 July 2009: Energize STW Achieves Top Safeguarding Standard
Energize STW has received national recognition for its commitment to safeguarding children in sport.
The Partnership has been awarded the Advanced Level for the National Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport. ‘Advanced’ is the top level that can be awarded and requires sustained commitment and resources in order to achieve it.
The standards were developed by the Child Protection in Sport Unit – a joint NSPCC and Sport England initiative - to provide a national benchmark of good practice and a framework for organisations to help safeguard and protect children and young people in sport. They cover an organisation’s policies, procedures, codes of practice, equity, communication, education and training.
The Advanced Standard Award recently achieved by Energize STW recognises the Partnership’s commitment across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin to creating safer environments for children, where they can enjoy and get the very best from their involvement in sport and physical activity.
Chris Child, Partnership Director for Energize STW commented, ‘Sport plays a major part in the life of many children and families and whatever the level of involvement, it is important that there is confidence that local organisations involved in delivering activities are working together to safeguard children from harm. This award represents our drive to make sport an enjoyable and safe activity for all.’
Energize STW is committed to ensuring that safeguarding and protecting children in sport remains a top priority for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, and will continue working to maintain this high standard.
To find out more about Energize STW's safeguarding policies and procedures, please visit our Plans & Resources page. More information about safeguarding children in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin can be found on our Child Protection page or by contacting Graham Macpherson, Energize STW's safegurading lead, on 01743 255086 or by emailing graham.macpherson@shropshire.gov.uk.
15 July 2009: Energize STW is recruiting for a Business Development Manager
Energize STW is now recruiting a Business Development Manager for Knowledge and Equity.
The closing date for applications is Friday 7th August.
Please go to our Job Opportunities page to see the advert, or download an electornic copy below.
Download the Business Development Manager (Knowledge and Equity) job advert.
6 July 2006: Free Sports Equipment, Coaching and Education Materials for Clubs and Schools through Recycling
Reciproc8™ are a recycling company that focuses upon the recycling of consumer electronic equipment, they manage recycling schemes with education organisations, sports clubs and community projects throughout the UK. Through the schemes the sports clubs, schools and community projects can gain free products and experiences including sports equipment and coaching sessions.
The range of rewards and further information on the schemes is available at www.reciproc8.co.uk or call 0845 194 8288. Setting up a scheme is easy, it’s done on line and only takes a couple of minutes.
They seek to base their working associations upon the ethos of reciprocation with the relationships being mutually beneficial. At the heart of the schemes is the Reciproc8 Rewards™ program that enables you to gain great benefits whilst having a positive impact environmentally.
You gain Reciproc8 Points™ for the consumer electronics goods that you collect for recycling. You can then redeem these Reciproc8 Points™ against the range of products and experiences in the Reciproc8 Rewards™ program. You can also convert them into a charitable donation or monetary value.
The Reciproc8 Rewards™ program contains Experiences, Sporting Products, Educational Materials and products for Conservation Projects.
Keep Recycling and Keep Redeeming!
6 July 2009: The ASA Aquatic Workforce Audit
Want to recruit new aquatic staff?
Need support to train new and existing staff?
Want to provide excellent delivery and customer service?
Need to retain your staff and provide incentives for their development?
As part of Swimming’s Coach/Teacher Development Programme, the ASA are completing an audit of our Aquatic Workforce. They're collecting data from you so that they can gain an accurate picture of Swimming’s teacher/coach workforce.
Once the baseline figures have been established we can then plan and tailor our products and services to meet the needs of you, their customers. The audit is aimed at all areas of the aquatic community – including clubs, Local Authorities, private operators, swim schools, hotels, trusts, charities and schools.
Please contribute to their research so that they can help you!
Every completed audit will be entered into a PRIZE DRAW with the following up for grabs:
- 1 x free place on the UKCC L3 Coaching Swimming Programme
- 2 x free places on the UKCC L2 Teaching Aquatics qualification
- 3 x free place on the UKCC L1 Teaching Aquatics or Coaching swimming qualifications
- 1 x £100 voucher to spend at the ASA awards centre
Before beginning the audit, please read through the guidance notes which can be found by clicking here. To access the audit please visit www.britishswimming.org or go direct to www.keysurvey.co.uk/survey/249951/21f7/ .
The audit will be available until Friday 4th September.
For further info please contact your ASA Coaching Systems Officer:
Jenny Baxter
North West/West Midlands
Email: jenny.baxter@swimming.org
Tel: 07900 605137
12 May 2009: Have your say about culture in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin
Energize STW would like to encourage partners to distribute this throughout their networks to maximise responses from the sport and active recreation community.
Residents are invited to have their say on culture as part of a major consultation across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.
Telford and Wrekin Council and Shropshire Council want to know what residents think about the arts, sports, countryside, libraries, museums, heritage and other cultural activities across the region. The aim is to find out what sort of activities people enjoy doing in their spare time and what they’d like to see more of so that the partnership can establish a ‘vision for culture’.
Anyone who joins in the consultation will automatically be entered into a prize draw which includes:
- A family ticket to see this year’s pantomime at Oakengates Theatre @ The Place
- An Ironbridge Gorge Family Passport
- Ice Skate passes to Telford Ice Rink
- Family vouchers to ski at Telford Ski & Snowboard Centre
- A season’s pass to Acton Scott
- £50 voucher for the Theatre Severn
- Hamper from Acton Scott
- Family pass to Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, Craven Arms
- 2 VIP tickets to a Shrewsbury FC Match
- Family passes to Telford AFC matches
- 5 Day passes to the Welti Tennis Centre, Shrewsbury Dear Colleague
To complete the online version of the survey, please go to: http://www.mhm-surveys.co.uk/vision. If you would prefer to do the questionnaire in paper form please contact Sue Goodwin, Principal Arts Development Officer for Shropshire Council by emailing sue.goodwin@shropshire.gov.uk and the document will be forwarded to you.
7 May 2009: London 2012 Open Weekend
Last week on our enewsletter, Energize STW advertised the London 2012 Open Weekend which will take place from 24th - 26th July. This celebratory weekend is a great opportunity to use the unique inspirational power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to encourage more people to get involved in local activities.
For more information about the London 2012 Open Weekend please visit the London 2012 website.
If you or your organisation are planning any events or activities that link in with the Open Weekend, please contact Tamsin Burton on 01743 255082 or email tamsin.burton@shrosphire.gov.uk giving a brief description of your plans, so that they can be included in national and regional 2012 communications.
Alternatively, if you have an idea for an event or activity and are looking for partners to help you to organise or host it, for example if you have a group of people who would like to do an activity but have no venue to hold it in, please contact Chris Child on 01743 255073 or email chris.child@shropshire.gov.uk (or Tamsin) and we will help you to look for partners.
7 May 2009: New Energize STW Management Board Appointed
Following a major strategic review, Energize STW is pleased to announce that a new Management Board has now been appointed to support the long term development of the Partnership over the next three years.
In a change of direction from the former Board, new members have been recruited according to specific skill set requirements, as well as to give representation of the partner organisations.
New to working with Energize STW and with specific skills which will be crucial in helping the Partnership succeed in its future endeavours are:
- Chris Dirkin – As Cricket Development Manager for England and Wales Cricket Board, Chris has 10 years of experience with volunteer recruitment and a vast knowledge of the development of coach education.
- Ray Flynn – Ray is the Sub National Review Transition Team Manager for Advantage West Midlands and has significant experience in partnership development as well as a broad understanding of the needs of external funding partners.
- Ray Sheldon – Currently the Chairman of Shropshire Junior County Badminton Club, Ray formerly worked in the motion picture, media and communications arenas in London and has a rich marketing background.
- David Sherratt – As Chief Executive of Archery GB, the National Governing Body (NGB) for Archery in this country, David is experienced in working in sport at national level and has a lead role in terms of equity.
Representing partner organisations on the Board will be:
- Miranda Ashwell for Shropshire County Primary Care Trust
- George Candler for Shropshire Council
- Cllr Miles Hosken as Member representation for Telford & Wrekin Council
- Jonathan Rowe for Telford & Wrekin Council
- Dr. Catherine Woodward for Telford & Wrekin Primary Care Trust
- Member representation for Shropshire will be decided following the local elections.
After a very successful three year period as Chair of the Energize STW Management Board, Stephen Welti will be stepping down and will be replaced by Steve Peters, Regional Rugby Development Manager for the RFU in the West Midlands. Steve is also the Chair of the West Midlands NGB Forum and has a wealth of experience in Sports Development as well as a passion for sport which spans over 40 years.
Commenting on his new role, Steve said, “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to build on the great work done by Steve Welti over the last three years. The board selection day was very positive and the new board members gelled well together. I am confident that we can make a difference in our aim of making Sport and Physical Activity part of every day life for the people of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.”
The new Board will meet for the first time on 12th May.
7 May 2009: Telford and Wrekin Sports Advisory Council Awards Evening
Dale Smallman – Chair of Telford and Wrekin Sports Advisory Council and the Telford and Wrekin Sports Advisory Council Committee are delighted to invite clubs and club representatives who operate in Telford & Wrekin to attend their awards evening – the first of its kind, spanning across all sports in the borough. This event is being held on Wednesday 10th June from 7.00pm – 9.00pm at Telford College of Arts and Technology. It is free of charge and there will be a buffet provided.
Clubs are doing a great job of providing lots of opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to take part in sport and physical activity in Telford & Wrekin, and the Sports Advisory Council want as many at this event as possible to celebrate these successes.
Telford & Wrekin clubs are invited to nominate for the 7 prestigious awards, which are:
- Sports Person of the Year
- Coach of the Year, Volunteer of the Year
- Young Leader of the Year
- Club of the Year
- Health Improvement Through Physical Activity Award
- Project of the Year (or Sport or Physical Activity Project of the Year)
There is also an 8th award - Outstanding Contribution to Sport and Physical Activity Award – and the winner of this is chosen from the best of the previous 7 awards.
Winners will be put forward to represent Telford and Wrekin in the Energize Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin awards evening held in late October.
Please note the closing date for nominations to be returned by is Wednesday 27th May. The deadline is not far away so please get your nominations in quickly.
Please download the nomination form and the nomination criteria, and ensure that you use the criteria as guidance to explain why your individual, club or project etc is deserving of the awards. Please send the completed nomination form along with the reply slip back to clive.knight@telford.gov.uk stating who will be in attendance and which categories your club will be submitting nominations for as soon as possible.
If you have any problems or questions about this event or need the nomination form or reply slip in an alternative format, please feel free to contact Clive on 01952 382889 or by email (address given above).
20 April 2009: Springtime Orienteering in Shropshire - 23rd - 25th May
Get your entries in now for the orienteering event of the Spring!
Organised by Wrekin Orienteering Club, Springtime in Shropshire (SinS) is an orienteering event which takes place around the countryside of Shropshire, with an event in Ludlow.
For more information, please visit the SinS website - www.sins.org.uk
3 April 2009: Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Athletes Win Top Sports Awards
Shropshire did exceptionally well at the npower Midlands Disability Sports Awards 2009, with four of the eleven awards won by Shropshire athletes, a coach and a tireless volunteer.
Young Alex Edmonds from Oswestry was presented with the Young Male Achiever of the Year Award. The talented table tennis and badminton player was delighted with his win as he was nominated last year and just pipped to the post by Ben O’Brien.
A second winner from Oswesty is Flo Griffiths, who won the Volunteer of the Year Award for her support of North Shropshire Special Olympics. For the past 19 years Flos has coached boccia, helped organise transport, escorted young athletes and taken on fund raising activities. She was nominated by Val Hanover, who says: “Flo really deserves this award for all her hard work and commitment over many years.”
Telford-based Paralympian silver medallist, Mickey Bushell, narrowly beat cricketer Shaun Rigby – also from Telford – to the Male Sports Personality of the Year title. Setanta TV Presenter, Matt Teale, said that it was Mickey’s determination and commitment to his sport, despite difficulties, that had been the deciding factor for the judging panel.
Anne Staples, who was nominated for the Coach of the Year Award for her work with Wellington Swimming Club, was beaten to the title by Newport’s 2008 team GB wheelchair basketball ace, Sinclair Thomas, who received the award for his achievements as assistant men’s coach with the England Paralympian team in Beijing in 2008. Although they didn’t win the title, North Shropshire Special Olympics were commended by the judges for their continuing commitment to the development of disability sport in the region.
The 2009 ceremony was held at Aston Villa Football Club, Birmingham. In addition to the 30 talented and high-achieving nominees, Sports Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe MP and around 20 Paralympians, including medallists Sascha Kindred, Nyree Lewis, Nigel Murray and Lee Pearson, attended the gala evening.
Kevin Rodgers, community involvement executive for sponsors, npower, comments: “The number of awards that will be resident in Shropshire has been amazing; both Mickey and Alex were nominated last year and it is great to see that their achievements in 2008 have resulted in local recognition this year.“
The event was organised by the English Federation of Disability Sports. Over the past few years, the awards evening has grown in both stature and recognition. Dennis Hodgkins, regional development manager at the EFDS, comments: “Having the Sports Minister and 20 Paralympians with us demonstrates the achievements of local disabled athletes and gave us an opportunity to celebrate across the board – from grass roots right through to international level.”
17 March 2009: Recruitment for new Energize Management Board and Independent Chair
Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin are seeking a voluntary Management Board and Independent Chair who are passionate about sport and physical activity and can support and drive the long-term development of our County Sports Partnership.
We are looking for individuals operating at a senior level who can be advocates for the Partnership. You will have experience of partnership working and be able to actively promote sport and physical activity.
We want members with a wide range of skills, knowledge and expertise to help further our vision to enable sport and physical activity to be part of everybody’s everyday life across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.
We are also looking for a high calibre individual with the belief, desire and influence, to provide leadership and chair our Management Board.
The Independent Chair will have gained public respect and credibility, be able to demonstrate vision and leadership, and have a track record of building relationships, effective networking and making things happen. They will require an informed knowledge and understanding of the strategic issues influencing the development of sport and physical activity across Shropshire & Telford & Wrekin.
All roles are voluntary, but expenses will be paid.
If you want to shape the future of sport and physical activity across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin and be a key part of this dynamic Partnership, an information pack can be obtained by contacting Paula Pugh on 01743 255079 or by emailing paula.pugh@shropshire.gov.uk . Alternatively you can download the pack below.
Management Board Recruitment Pack - PDF
Management Board Recruitment Pack - Word Doc.
For an informal discussion about becoming part of our Management Board please contact Chris Child, Partnership Manager on 01743 255073 or email chris.child@shropshire.gov.uk.
Expressions of interest should be submitted by Monday 6th April.
Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Sport and Physical Activity Partnership is keen to increase the diversity of its members and welcomes nominations from all sections of the community. Copies of this advert and the information pack can be made available in large print.
16 March 2009: Sport England - Building Partnership Conference
Chris Child, Partnership Manager, Energize STW recently attended the Sport England - Building Partnership Conference in London. He has provided a brief summary of the main items of interest of the event.
For info - All CSP's, NGB's and national partners (eg sportscoachUK, Youth Sport Trust, LGA, etc) were invited.
- The event focussed on NGB's - not surprising as Sport England will invest £120m per annum through them (compared to £75m on everything else). Please click here to download the one page summary of Sport England investment strategy for your interest below. There was a strong message that there is cross party and departmental support for this focus. Andy Burnham, Sec of State for Culture Media & Sport emphasised this in the afternoon as well as the links to broader Be Active, Be Healthy plan.
- There was also a big emphasis on partnerships - all NGB's that spoke were clear that they can't meet their targets alone but that they need to be specific and clear about working in productive partnerships (as opposed to just working in partnership).
- Jenny Price emphasised the important role and investment from local authorities and highlighted the risks of both the recession and potential change of local authority emphasis away from sport. The Head of Leisure from Manchester City Council spoke about sport being important to local authorities if it could demonstrate value to community plans and achieving non sport outcomes eg regeneration.
- In the afternoon Jenny Price spoke about 'hitting the targets' and explained both where the 1 million people doing more sport would come from (please click here to download two of the key slides) and how this would be measured. The message was very clear that a large part of the target would be achieved by encouraging people who already do something to do more by increasing their satisfaction (this is the 'Sustain' element of SE strategy which 60% of investment will go to). I was impressed by the level of detail that Sport England have gone to to programme for 'over' achievement of the targets. Jenny also mentioned that quarterly Active People figures would be produced although she didn't say whether these would just be for sports/NGB's or whether they would also be available at a local authority level.
- There was a session explaining how NGB's would be performance managed and also further detail about the new sports / NGB satisfaction survey which Sport England have commissioned from Ipsos Mori - monitoring satisfaction against Active People shifts is also part of the process. (see full presentation, by following link below, for further details)
- Finally I thought I should also mention that Higher Education have clearly been identified as an important national partner (through the new British University Sport Association est 2008) who will recieve significant funding under the new strategy. Maybe something for us to look out for although I know we haven't got a huge, or single instiutution, HE population.
Full details of the event including all presentations can be found at http://www.sportengland.org/index/conference2009.htm
4 March 2009: Jonathan Edwards Visits the West Midlands
Triple-jump World record-holder and former Olympic, Commonwealth and European champion, Jonathan Edwards, will be in the West Midlands today as part of a day-long visit to the region hosted by the West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games¹.
In the morning, Jonathan will officially open a new sporting facility at de Ferrers Specialist Technology College in Burton-upon-Trent, before travelling to Wolverhampton to pledge support for a national charity and on to Much Wenlock in Shropshire, the cradle of the modern Olympic movement.
Jonathan Edwards, the world record holder for the triple jump since 1995 and Deputy Chair of the London 2012 Nations and Regions Group² and a Board Member of the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG)³, will make three stops during the day:
· De Ferrers Specialist Technology College, Burton-upon-Trent.
· Molineux Stadium to meet representatives from Include Me Too, Wolverhampton.
· Much Wenlock Primary School and the Linden Fields, Much Wenlock.
The visit forms part of the London 2012 Nations and Regions Group’s engagement programme and will kick off in the morning at De Ferrers Specialist Technology College in Burton-upon-Trent. Here he will meet students and representatives from the college before officially opening the new, state-of-the-art sports hall. The £1.7 million sports hall has provided the college’s 2,000 students with a modern facility including changing and shower areas for able and disabled students, alongside a fully equipped fitness room/gym, two classrooms on-site and a viewing area overlooking the main sports hall.From here, Jonathan will travel to the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton where he will meet young people and representatives from Include Me TOO. Include Me TOO is a national charity based in Wolverhampton campaigning for the rights of young people with disabilities and/or from diverse communities. In December last year, Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee, pledged support for the charity’s National Charter of Rights for Disabled Children and Young People and today, Jonathan Edwards will sign up to the charter on behalf of the London 2012 Nations and Regions Group as he discusses ways in which this commitment can be turned into action here in the West Midlands.
The final stop will be in Much Wenlock, the home of the annual Wenlock Olympian Games, created in 1850 by Dr William Penny Brookes who inspired the founder of the modern Olympic movement, Pierre de Coubertin. The visit will start at Much Wenlock Primary School⁴ where Jonathan will meet pupils and be shown a brand new, interactive education pack developed by the Wenlock Olympian Society (WOS). Jonathan will then be given a sneak preview of a mobile ‘Museums on the Move’ exhibition cataloguing the vital role the West Midlands has played in the history of the Olympic Movement. He will end his day at the Linden Fields (the site of the Wenlock Olympian Games) where he will dedicate a newly-planted tree to former WOS President, Norman Wood. The tree is the latest in a long line of trees planted at the site of the Wenlock Olympian Games and has been grown from an acorn harvested from the oak tree planted by Pierre de Coubertin when he visited Brookes and Much Wenlock in 1890.
Jonathan Edwards said “It is evident from today that the West Midlands is making fantastic headway in contributing to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Today’s visit highlights the breadth of opportunity the 2012 Games offers and the range of ways the West Midlands is making the most of it. They are encouraging further sports participation, promoting involvement for all and learning opportunities on the area’s contribution to the heritage of the Olympic Movement.”
Cllr Chris Saint, Chair of the West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games (the body responsible for ensuring that the West Midlands gains maximum benefit from the Games), added: "We are delighted to be welcoming Jonathan to our region again and we hope that today’s visit will give him a flavour of how our region is embracing the opportunities presented by the 2012 Games. Young people and equality and diversity are two themes that underpin all our work relating to London 2012 in the West Midlands - from encouraging young business and skills improvement to sport, the Cultural Olympiad, education and volunteering programmes and these are reflected in Jonathan's itinerary today. The visit concludes with a return to Much Wenlock, a place close to Jonathan's heart, that had such an impact on Pierre de Coubertin and the birth of the Modern Olympic Games.”
Staffordshire County Councillor Peter Davies, Cabinet Support Member for Schools said: “We are delighted to welcome Jonathan Edwards to Burton. This new state of the art sports facility is great news for area and will provide access to sport and exercise for students at the college for many years to come. Congratulations to everyone involved with this development.”
Mike York, Principal, de Ferrers Specialist Technology College, said:
“It is fitting that such an important facility for the college and its students is officially opened by a world class athlete.”
Roy Rogers, president of the Wenlock Olympian Society, said: “Jonathan’s last official visit to the WOS was to present the Norman Wood Trophy. This was given by the British Olympic Association to honour our late President’s work in establishing the historic contribution of the WOS to the Modern Olympic Movement. Norman and Barbara’s tree is planted beside Coubertin’s oak, and the plaque Jonathan will be unveiling commemorates their place in WOS history. ”
Ruth Atkinson, head teacher at Much Wenlock Primary School, added “Jonathan’s visit will be a fantastic opportunity to inspire our children as our school stands on the site of the very first modern Olympics in 1850. Since signing up to the 2012 Get Set initiative, we are enjoying instigating activities around the values of the Olympics”.
22 December 2008: Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Prepare for More Visitors
Press information - Issued 19th December 2008
A consultancy has been commissioned to work with the Much Wenlock Legacy Group to help the town prepare for more visitors and to harvest opportunities for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Legacy Group, made up of representatives from Much Wenlock Town Council, Bridgnorth District Council, the Wenlock Olympian Society, the Wenlock Civic Society, the Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin 2012 Group, Shropshire County Council, William Brookes School and local traders will be working with Midlands-based research consultancy, The Research Solution (TRS).
TRS will be researching how the town can manage the predicted rise in visitor numbers in light of the opportunities given by the Games and by other celebratory events which may attract more people to the area, such as the bicentenary of the birth of Dr William Penny Brookes taking place in August 2009.
Councillor Barbara Craig, who represents Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin on the West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games, congratulated Katie Foster of TRS at the Shirehall in Shrewsbury on Wednesday (17th December) for successfully bidding to carry out this work.
Cllr Craig commented, "I am delighted that TRS have been commissioned to carry out this vital piece of work. It is essential that Much Wenlock and the surrounding area of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin is well prepared to accommodate the expected rise in visitors and this research will allow us to identify what to expect and what needs to be done to manage it all. The research will also help to identify how Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin as a whole may be able to benefit from the additional attention Much Wenlock is expected to receive."
TRS are due to report their findings back to the Legacy Group at the end of March 2009.
12 December 2008: Active People Survey 2 - headline results
Please click here to view the Active People Survey 1 and Active People Survery 2 differences final December 2008
Please click here to view the confidence intervals 8 - December 2008
Please click here to view the notes for NI8
Please click here to view the Summary of sport participation indicators
Please click here to view the KPI 1 to 6 - Regions
Please click here to view million - Regions
Please click here to view KPIs 1 to 6 - CC
Please click here to view KPIs 1 to 6 - CSP area
Please click here to view National Indicator 8 - LA and CC
Please click here to view KPIs 1 to 6 - LA
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