Sports Voice Issue 27

2009-2010 Excellent

Olympic Games and Paralympic Games legacy

SportsVoice SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

KentSport

Issue 27 Spring 2009

The Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service is part of Kent County Council’s Communities Directorate

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Kent leads the way for its work on the Olympic and Paralympic Games! In March 2009, Tessa Jowell, Olympics Minister, awarded Kent County Council its first ever Beacon for its work on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. KCC achieved the top score of ‘Outstanding’ and was one of only five local authorities in the UK to be recognised by the Government for its work relating to the London 2012 Games.

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Managed by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), the Beacon award celebrates excellence and innovation in local government. Kent County Council as a whole is now able to use its Beacon status to demonstrate its ability across a range of areas including sport, the arts, business, volunteering, regeneration, schools and young people to use 2012 as a catalyst for long-term benefits. The focus of the Beacon Award was on increasing participation in sport and physical activity, regenerating communities, and increasing participation in cultural and volunteering activity. Through achieving this status, KCC has the opportunities to promote it’s work nationally and to learn from other organisations, enabling Kent to engage communities further to take advantage of the 2012 Games.

2009-2010 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games legacy

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

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2012 Kent athletes star at Beijing 2008 Great Britain’s most successful Games in over 100 years saw Kent represented with six Olympians and six Paralympians. Ashford’s Jamie Staff collected gold with the British Track Cycling Team and his achievements were recognised by Ashford Borough Council who hosted a special ceremony to honour sporting heroes from the borough. In the Adaptive Rowing Coxed Four crew, Alastair McKean (Canterbury) and James Morgan (Deal) picked up bronze medals. Kent sending six Paralympic athletes to Beijing marked a large increase from Athens where we sent only one athlete. At London 2012, athletes with an intellectual disability will now be allowed to compete for the first time since the categories were suspended in 2000.

Ashford’s Jamie Staff and Lisa Dobriskey

This decision of the International Paralympic Committee could have a huge impact for the County, as we estimate that 17 Paralympians from Kent could now be eligible to compete! Jamie Staff

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

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The case is strong for the following reasons: • Dover was the welcome point for the Olympic Torch when London last hosted the Games in 1948 and it would be fantastic to recreate this part of British Olympic history in 2012. • Dover is the natural gateway between mainland Europe and the UK. • The white cliffs are recognised by international audiences as a famous landmark worldwide. • Dover has experience of hosting international sports events, including the World Archery Grand Prix in 2007, with Lord Sebastian Coe as Patron. • Dover is undergoing significant regeneration. The chance to welcome the Torch would provide an important opportunity to support Dover's renaissance. To create our bid, Kent staged: • 'Dover and the Olympic Torch - a Young People's Conference' an event held by Dover schools in partnership with the Campaign and with Creative Partnerships, which took place in April 2008.

Ambitions for Dover to welcome Olympic Torch to the UK in 2012 Kent County Council, through the Kent Campaign for the 2012 Games, has been seeking to ensure that Dover is the welcome point for the Olympic Torch when it first reaches the UK's shores in 2012.

• An ambitious and visionary event in September 2008 to ‘Light Up Dover’, viewed by 13,000 people. • A ‘Visioning Event’ in March involving partner organisations to creatively consider how the Torch could arrive in the UK at Dover. Support for Kent’s ambitions has been secured from local, county and regional agencies and politicians. For more information on Kent’s Olympic torch campaign visit this link www.kentsport.org/london2012/your2012 _dover _torch .asp or contact [email protected]

The winning design for the Campaign badge

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Kent’s Olympic Handover celebrations, 24 August 2008 The official Olympic Handover day on 24 August was celebrated by almost every local authority in Kent raising the London 2012 handover flag, with an additional five flags raised at other events on that day. There were also the following five major community celebrations:

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• In Tunbridge Wells, Chris Bowles, who competed in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, handed the Olympic 2012 flag over to James Martin, a 2012 Judo Olympic hopeful. Activities included Football with Charlton Athletic, a Beijing inspired obstacle course and a Samba drumming workshop. In partnership with Kent Alliance of Leisure Trusts and local authorities, free Swimming was also offered across Kent for the day. Eighteen swimming pools in the County opened their doors free to the public and on average 20% more people swam than on a normal weekend day.

• The Herne Bay Festival featured a giant official London 2012 screen to watch the Handover moment live. Throughout the day, up to 1000 people joined in with free activities as part of Get Active: Feel Alive campaign aimed at promoting local sport and physical activity opportunities. • The Olympic flag was rowed ashore in Dover by 2012 Olympic hopeful Hannah Moon, and one of the original 1948 Olympic Torches was run from Dover to Deal by the Deal Tri Club and Dover Roadrunners. There was a range of free activities including street Athletics and a firework display. • Hundreds turned out for a festival of sports, arts and culture at Whatman Park in Maidstone. The Handover flag was delivered District Leads on 2012 by river and passed to Kevin Alderton, Kent Blind Skiier World To maximise the benefits of the 2012 Games each district council in Kent has identified a lead officer for the 2012 Games. Record Holder and potential 2010 Paralympian; and taster Each of these individuals has taken on the 2012 challenge as sessions were ran by local sports clubs. complementary to their role - no new positions have • Thanet saw the official opening of the new track facility at the been created. Marlowe Academy and hundreds of people took part in a For more information about who your local council’s lead might be, family fun run. visit http://www.kentsport.org/london2012/pdfs/district_ lead _officers.pdf

Handover celebrations in every district

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service PRIDE in Paralympic Handover Celebrations, 17 September

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A fireshow spectacular in Dover Harbour to launch the Cultural Olympiad

On 17 September 2008, the Paralympic Handover flag passed from Beijing to London. Celebratory events took place at schools across the County, including Folkestone Academy and Valence School, Westerham. Folkestone Academy was the centre of celebrations as nine Specialist Arts Colleges demonstrated the seven values of the Games through a series of animations, dance, music, performance and the visual arts. The event also marked the launch of Kent’s ‘20in12’ programme, which will use the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to inspire learning across the curriculum for children and young people in Kent. Valence School also took part in activities based around the seven values and the event marked Valence School’s successful bid in becoming the first Kent special school to become a Specialist Sports College.

Get Set Kent has more schools signed up to the national 2012 learning programme for schools and higher education institutions called ‘Get Set’ than any other local authority area in the UK. By March 2009, 369 schools had joined the scheme, which far exceeds the total for the rest of the South East region.

Film Award Canterbury High School students, inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, won the Brenda Blethyn ACTING AWARD for their slapstick comedy “Titanic Year Olympic Games 1912”.

Cultural Olympiad Launch 26-28 September 2008 went off with a bang! A series of activities were staged across Kent on the weekend of 26 to 28 September 2008 to celebrate the launch of the national Cultural Olympiad; the four year cultural and creative programme leading up to London 2012. Light Up Dover, creatively managed and produced by internationally renowned ‘The World Famous’, attracted an estimated 13,000 people to Dover Harbour to enjoy a groundbreaking fire show to celebrate the town’s rich history. The evening also served to highlight the Kent campaign, led by Kent County Council, to welcome the Olympic torch relay into the UK

Launch of Kent’s 20 in12 programme

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Following the Light Up Dover event, Open Up Dover was held on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 September 2008, and a range of buildings and sites, not usually accessible, were ‘opened up’ to the public. Further information on the venues opened up to the public can be found by visiting the following link: www.kentsport.org/london2012/latest_open_up_dover_oct08 .asp

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• In Swale, there was a range of storytelling events across the borough coupled with an outdoor screening of archive footage and artists films. • Young People from six secondary schools and six Pupil Referral Units visited their local library to record their impressions of the Cultural Olympiad launch weekend directly onto the BBC Memoryshare Website. • Turner Contemporary organised a traditional Chinese dance family workshop to teach typical ribbon, fan and handkerchief dances with experienced Chinese dancers.

Kent eVent Team flexible volunteering for events The ‘Kent eVent Team’ is a partnership between Kent County Council and the voluntary sector in Kent, aimed at recruiting volunteers for sport, leisure and cultural events across the County, and working with local councils, community groups, Volunteer Centres, tourism organisations and sports clubs to develop and promote event volunteering opportunities. So far, over 300 volunteers are on the mailing list and receive information about volunteering opportunities. More than 30 organisations have registered with the Kent eVent team and 20 events have been supported since May 2008. If you would like to join the team and be one of our volunteers, sign up today. If you are an event organiser and work in the voluntary, community or statutory sector in Kent why not register today and find out how our volunteers can support you. There was a range of other activities across Kent to celebrate the launch of the Cultural Olympiad: • “Festival of Light” in Gravesham - Hundreds of school children, carrying lanterns and torches in a parade. The event was organised by North West Kent Racial Equality Council.

Joining is easy and will only take a few minutes, apply online at www.kenteventteam.org.uk, email [email protected] or call 01622 674252.

Kent eVent Team

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Kent Campaign for the 2012 Games’ Small Grants Fund The Small Grants Fund was launched in December 2007, to support cultural, creative and sports providers deliver activities and events that will demonstrate at least one of the Olympic and Paralympic values and will support the Kent Campaign efforts to promote sporting and cultural activity in the County. Any activity or event being put forward for consideration should involve young people, defined as aged under 18, or up to 25 if involved in full time education. There are still some funds remaining for allocation and those interested should contact [email protected] or visit the following link www.kentsport.org/london2012/small_grants.asp

Kent winning 2012 business

So far, grants totalling over £6,000 have been awarded and below are a sample of some of the projects already completed:

‘CompeteFor’ is London 2012’s business ‘dating agency’, matching companies to opportunities.

• One Vision – The Skillnet Group helped to support people with learning disabilities produce and perform a musical at The Theatre Royal in Margate in November 2008.

1,354 Kent companies have registered with CompeteFor– 588 of which have ‘published; i.e.reached the second and final stage of joining this business network. One hundred contracts have so far been awarded through CompeteFor. Of these 100, seven were to South East companies, including six to Kent businesses! An additional 20 Kent businesses have won contracts to supply the Olympic Delivery Authority outside of the CompeteFor programme.

• Bhangra Aerobics - a new concept linked aerobics with Bhangra Dance and encouraged young people to take part. • Beijing Challenge - Coordinated by Canterbury City Council, the Beijing Challenge is a Chinese obstacle course that serves both to engage young people in physical activity and to educate children about some of the Chinese culture.

To register for CompeteFor, businesses have to answer a series of simple questions and create a business profile which is tested against a small number of minimum standards in areas such as health and safety. Business Support Kent is currently organising workshops to help businesses with bid-writing and tendering. For further information about workshops in Kent, visit this link www.eventskent.co.uk/default.aspx?tabid=685

Bhangra Aerobics

For more information or to register your business on CompeteFor, visit this link www.competefor.com/london2012business

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service 2012 Games brings tourism opportunities to Kent!

Kent: a natural choice for Pre-Games Training

With the forthcoming Games’ nine year tourism window as a catalyst (Visit Kent is projecting an additional £324 million for the County’s industry off the back of the Games), there are fantastic tourism growth opportunities for Kent. ‘Big Day Out’ is an annual Kent event to encourage local people to explore where they live and discover hidden gems on their own doorstep. Kent 2012 is involved because Big Day Out is a key programme to help achieve the 2% growth in the visitor economy in Kent across the nine year Olympic tourism window. In 2008, Big Day Out was a huge success, with 85% of local residents who participated rating it as excellent. Visit Kent also drove the second of its London outdoor campaigns. A visible and high impact campaign in London served to raise awareness of Kent as a short break destination for Londoners and for visitors to London. There are 36 potential Olympic Pre-Games Training Camps and 8 potential Paralympic Pre-Games Training Camps in Kent. These provide an excellent opportunity for Kent hoteliers, with London 2012 providing funding of £25, 000 to any foreign country that chooses to base a Pre Games Training Camp in the UK. There are also the additional opportunities for a hotel to access one or more international markets through the team(s) hosted, opportunities to create some fantastic and unique marketing for a hotel both locally and in the international teams’ home countries, and an opportunity to bring the ‘magic dust’ of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics right into the heart of our own localities.

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International teams training in Kent We are delighted that there have been a number of international teams who have trained in Kent. The Slovenian Gymnastics Squad visited Maidstone in July 2008 and in August 2008, the Saudi Arabian Sitting Volleyball squad trained at Canterbury, whilst members of the Saudi Arabian Judo squad have been training at Dartford, in addition to the USA, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and France. The Ukraine Women’s Gymnastic squad trained in Gravesend in November 2008 and has invited the club for a reciprocal visit. A complete list of Kent’s potential Pre-Games Training Camps can be found by following this link www.kentsport.org/london2012/venues We hope for more international teams to come train in Kent in the build up to the London 2012 Games. Chris Hespe, who heads the KCC Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service, made contact with 100 National Olympic Committees and 70 international sports federations whilst in Beijing during the Olympic Games.

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

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University of Kent student has key role in Beijing Handover Ceremonies University of Kent student, Berna Ucel, who is studying for a degree in Creative Events: Design and Production at the University of Kent’s Medway campus, played a significant part in the Beijing to London Handover Ceremonies. Berna was Assistant Stage Manager for London 2012 in Beijing and worked alongside Leona Lewis and Jimmy Page as London celebrated receiving the Olympic and Paralympic flags. For more information on Berna’s experience in Beijing visit this link www.kentsport.org/london2012/latest_uni_kent_student _aug08

Major Events – staging major events in Kent Kent is seeking to secure major events off the back of the Games. To date, Kent has attracted the World Cup Archery, the Tour de France in 2007 and the World Handcycling Championships to name just a few. The Open Golf Championships have been drawn to Kent for 2011, in the build up to the 2012 Games. In 2009, Kent will accommodate national level Beach Volleyball and disability Cycling events.

Media Kent’s Campaign for the 2012 Games has been receiving considerable media interest. Last year the website has received 73,000 visitors and nearly half a million page views, as well as delivering 2,624 column inches of news coverage and 109 radio and TV interviews.

Major events in Kent

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Coaching For Sport:ed information please visit www.kentsport.org/sported

UK Coaching Framework Here are some facts about the new UK Coaching Framework: • Officially launched at the 3rd UK Coaching Summit in April 2008 • Vision to create a coaching system, where skilled coaches support children, adults, players and athletes at all stages of their development in sport • Cohesive, ethical, inclusive and valued system • Development and implementation being led by sports coach UK • 31 sports have formally committed to using the Framework to develop and implement their coaching systems, including further development of the UK Coaching Certificate.

UK Coaching Certificate • It involves the endorsement of sport specific, coach education programmes against agreed criteria across five levels • All sports have to include the same core content at each distinct level and meet minimum standards with regards to delivery and assessment for each qualification • The aims of the new UK Coaching Certificate is to improve the quality of coaching across the UK to provide safe and effective coaching systems for participants within sport • Currently 74 UK Coaching Certificate programmes have been endorsed, across 23 sports and further expansion of the programmes is delivered across the UK

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Coaching in the Community Sport England have now run the Community Sports Coach Scheme for over five years, and it is seen by Government as a flagship scheme that has been very successful in increasing participation in young people.

if so, whether there will be a role for the County Sports Partnerships in managing the scheme in the future. The Service will be working closely with NGBs to ensure the needs of all parties are understood in taking the scheme forward, and will continue to keep existing coaches and managers informed.

The aim of the scheme has been to establish across the country, a network of paid, qualified community based coaches working at local level, to increase the number and range of high-quality coaching opportunities according to strategic and local need.

UK Centre for Coaching Excellence

To date, the scheme has enabled 57 coaches in Kent to gain contractual employment as a coach, 15 of these in full-time positions.

It will be the first of its kind in the UK and will benefit up-andcoming coaches to help them reach the top and help drive a legacy of sporting success for British athletes

In total, £689,911 has been awarded to Kent projects to employ Community Sports Coaches. This is just under 45% of the total investment, which including partnership funding, amounts to just over £1.5m.

Sports coach UK to recruit a world-class Coaching Faculty that will pass on their expertise to coaches and ensure that the centre is delivering international best practice

During the time that the scheme has been running in Kent, an average 18,584 young people have accessed coaching each year, in a variety of activities. However, the scheme does not align with the new Sport England strategy, which has a particular focus on developing talent; sustaining participants in sport at post-16; and increasing regular adult participation in sport. The strategy will also see National Governing Bodies of Sport given greater autonomy over the investment of funding within their sport, and greater responsibility for the delivery of outcomes. A full review of the scheme has therefore been undertaken, and responsibility for the continued funding and employment of community coaches will rest with NGBs, where they meet their requirements. A period of transition will ensue, whereby each NGB will confirm how, where, or indeed if they intend to continue the scheme, and

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The UK Centre for Coaching Excellence in sport and disability sport will be based at Leeds Metropolitan University.

A UK-wide network of coaching experts, sports science and medical experts will also be established to support training and coach education throughout the country There will be a direct link between the work of the National Skills Academy (NSA) for Sport and Active Leisure in England, and the UK Centre for Coaching Excellence Co-ordinated by sector skills council SkillsActive, the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure will operate via nine regional hubs in England as well as an innovative website where people can access the academy virtually There is potential for Regional Coaching Centres to serve as the Centres of Excellence for Coaching attached to the NSA Regional Hubs, and to this effect, a collaborative proposal put forward by Universities based at Medway Campus to host such a Regional Coaching Centre.

Excellence in coaching

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Advanced Standard for Safeguarding & Protecting Children in Sport Following the achievement of the NSPCC Intermediate Standard for Safeguarding & Protecting Children in 2007, the Kent Sports, Leisure and Olympic Service has been working towards the advanced standard, and is due to submit its final portfolio by the end of the year. Published by the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit, the standards are mandatory for all English governing bodies of sport and County Sports Partnerships, and provide a national benchmark of good practice for sports organisations to work towards, in order to raise awareness among staff and volunteers, and minimise avoidable risks. Various aspects of safeguarding and child protection are incorporated within the standards, which fall into ten categories. The Advanced Standard sees organisations providing evidence of achievements in the final three categories: equity; communication; and education and training. The service strives to make continuous improvements to its policies, procedures and systems, and work in partnership with organisations delivering sport in the county, to promote best practice when working with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

KCC’s Coach and Official Scholarship Scheme KCC’s Coach and Official Scholarship Scheme provides funding to support Governing Bodies of Sport to increase the quantity and quality of coaches and officials. Applications are encouraged from Governing Bodies to nominate individual coaches or officials. In round one of the Scholarship for 2008-9, applications were invited which met any of the following themes: Developing & Accelerating Excellence; Improving Quality & Sustaining Participation, Increasing Adult Participation.

In the first round of scholarships, 16 applications were received from six sports (Judo, Movement & Dance, Swimming, Archery, Gymnastics and Wheelchair Basketball) with 13 awards being made, totaling £2,300.

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Club Development Club Connect Card The Kent Club Connect card has gone from strength to strength this year with 267 clubs now signed up. The scheme is an opportunity for sports clubs to register their details in return for a range of benefits and to receive the latest club development information. Benefits for regular club connect card membership include: • 20% Off Sports Coach UK and Running Sports courses • 17% Off sports equipment and clothing Gold membership benefits include: • 40% Off Sports Coach UK an Running Sports courses • 20% Off sports equipment and clothing Both memberships enable clubs to access resources and support from sports development professionals For information visit www.kentsport.org/ClubDevelopment

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Sports Funding Sport Unlimited Sport Unlimited is part of the government’s ‘5 hour offer’ and one of the programmes aimed at giving every young person aged 5-16 years the chance to do five hours of sport per week and 16-19 years, three hours of sport per week.

• ensure that over 28,000 young people take part in a Sport Unlimited project and are retained for at least 60% of the sessions, ie they attend at least 6 weeks for a 10 week series • increase young people directed to clubs, reducing post 16 drop off. A further £324,000 is available for 2009/10. Following a consultation and planning meeting attended by over 50 partners, it was decided that this funding will be distributed via: • district/geographical allocations. A partnership approach to the use of this funding is expected. For example some or all of the following may be involved in each district: • • • • •

local authority leisure trust(s) School Sport Partnership(s) Youth Service Extended Schools.

In 2008/09, £246,750 was awarded to more than 30 organisations in Kent, offering a wide range of Sport Unlimited projects in Kent. A Sport Unlimited project is a block of one hour long sessions, targeting 5-19 year olds (80% to be for 11-19 year olds).

• Governing Bodies of Sport

The overall aims are to:

• Further Education Sports Co-ordinators (FESCos)

• offer an additional one to two hours of regular sport beyond the curriculum

• an open pot, which will be available to any not for profit/statutory organisation from March 2009.

• target the ‘semi sporty’ (young people aged 5-16 currently participating in three hours PE and sport per week or 16-19 year olds doing one to two hours per week)

If you have any queries regarding Sport Unlimited, please contact Andrea Murphy on (01622) 605064 or on [email protected].

• deliver a range of out of school, community and club opportunities

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Pfizer Sports Fund This is a unique partnership with the pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer UK, whereby the Sport, Leisure and Olympics service distributes grants for community sports projects in the East Kent area on behalf of Pfizer. During 2008 the Pfizer Sports Fund allocated nearly £10,000 to 14 projects.

Kent Reliance Building Society SportSaver Account This is an affinity account run by Kent Reliance Building Society. In addition to interest paid to investors, 1% of the total funds invested are handed over to Kent Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service to distribute to community sports projects.

Some examples of projects included:

During 2008 almost £12,000 was allocated to 29 projects.

• St Mary's CofE Primary School in Dover - Funding provided to purchase 2 Table Tennis tables one of which was wheelchair friendly. Initially, the tables would be used to start a Table Tennis club for 8-11 year olds, but once established, the school intended to open these facilities for community use for 12-17 year olds.

An example of a recent grant recipient was the Disability Sports Link Project which used the funding to purchase Goalball equipment to stage an Inter-schools Tournament. The equipment can now be used for after school clubs and further tournaments.

• Pent Valley Leisure Centre - The funding was used as a contribution towards the running, premises and marketing costs of Valley Friday Fun Club; a multi sports club for childen with physical and sensory impairment. • East Kent Cycling Club - The funding enabled people with impaired sight to Cycle, with the aid of tandem pilots, around the lanes and villages of Thanet and East Kent. To find out more about the fund please visit www.kentsport.org/funding_pfizer.cfm

In addition to these community sports grants, Kent Reliance is supporting young people of national standard in their sport and during 2008, 40 young people received grants totaling £10,500. Kent Reliance hopes that this support will help potential Olympians and Paralympians on their way to 2012. Some examples of grant recipients included: • Ian Payne - contribution towards new Tennis wheelchair. During 2008, Ian became British National Junior Wheelchair Tennis Doubles Champion. He also gained third place in the Singles Championships • Jasmin Pomeroy - contribution towards equipment, training and travel costs. During 2008, Jasmin went to World Karate Championships in Switzerland and became World Champion in Kumite and won a silver medal in Kata. Application forms and details are available by visiting: www.kentsport.org/funding_sportsaver.cfm

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Disability sports projects in Kent benefited from the Kent’s Small Grants Fund

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Funding on School Sites Kent County Council has identified a funding allocation to increase the use of school sites for sport, outside of school hours. A significant part of this funding has been identified to create a grants fund for sports activity on school sites which is open to a wide range of sporting organisations including sports clubs, youth groups and schools themselves. Some examples of grants allocated in 2008 included: • Bethersden Tennis Club- funding provided to offer Tennis and mini-tennis to young people on various school sites in the Bethersden/Ashford area. The club also ran young leaders courses and offered free taster sessions.

P&O’s Talented Athlete Programme The P&O Ferries Talented Athlete Programme falls within the ferry company's £250,000 sponsorship of Kent County Council's Sport, Leisure & Olympics Service. Five athletes have caught the attention of P&O and although they are not household names yet, the company has been impressed enough by their dedication and determination and focus on 2012 that they have committed to supporting them. The five athletes supported are: • Lewis Gray (England number one in his age group since 2006, 14 years old from Cranbrook) • Chloe Martin (Received the RYA Young Sailor of the Year Award in 2008, 17 years old, from Tonbridge) • Nathan Milgate (National Shooting Champion in 2006 and British Champion 2007, 20 years old is from Herne Bay) • Hannah Moon (16 years old from Deal, is one of the country's top junior rowers) • Vicky Silk (Field specialist Vicky is in the top world rankings for javelin, shot and discus, 16 years old)

• Canterbury High School - working with Canterbury City Football Club the school ran a project to encourage more key stage 4 pupils to take part in Football. • Pluckley CofE Primary School - funding to deliver a Multi-Skills breakfast club on two mornings each week. The project will use a Higher Level Teaching Assistant to deliver sport and physical activity sessions with a view to becoming a fully trained teacher, thereby ensuring sustainability. For more details and an application form please visit: www.kentsport.org/schools/SchoolSportFunding.cfm

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

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Kent Trust for Youth Sport

FaciIity Development

The Kent Trust for Youth Sport held it’s second fund raising event and auction in November 2008. Guest speakers included Steve Backley and Hugh Robertson, Shadow Minister for Sport. The Trust aims to help young people within the County access sports opportunities. Priorities for funding include:

Kent County Council's Capital Grant Scheme for Sport continues to provide a valuable contribution to the provision of new sports facilities, as well as improvements to existing ones. It also has helped with the purchase of items of equipment for various sports organisations. Grants awarded in 2008/09 were as follows:

• Helping clubs and individuals in financial need to meet the cost of purchasing kit or equipment • Making small grants to pay for individuals to qualify as coaches • Contributing to the costs of sports development programmes

Newington Primary School

£10,000

Cliftonville Bowls Club

£ 1,000

Canterbury High School

£ 5,500

Sittingbourne Community College

£10,000

• Funding sports events

Leybourne Cricket Club

£10,000

• Funding to enable young people to represent Kent on a national stage

Royal Tunbridge Wells Croquet Club

£ 1,000

Vigo Rugby Club

£10,000

Since October 2007, 25 grants representing a total of £6,850 have been awarded to individuals and organisations to support and develop youth sport in Kent.

Meopham Cricket Club

£10,000

Sandwich Technology School

£10,000

Maidstone & Medway Athletics Club £10,000 Details of the Trust and how to apply can be accessed through the website at www.kentsport.org/trust

Elham Valley Cricket Club

£ 6,593

The grant fund has £100,000 to contribute to sports organisations throughout the year, with a maximum grant limit of £10,000. The criteria and application form for the grant scheme is available from Chris Metherell on 01622 605004 [email protected]

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

School Sport Kent School Games On Wednesday 16 July 2008, a Celebratory Event at Canterbury High School saw a close to the first ever Kent School Games. Olympic bronze medallist Ian Wynne was there to award prizes to the best individual performers as nominated across the 13 School Sports Partnerships. Here we look back at what was achieved since the launch of the Games in 2007.

World Paralympic champion Danny Crates and Leader of Kent County Council, Paul Carter officially launched the first ever Kent School Games on 27 November 2007 at Astor of Hever Community School. This was the start of what proved to be Kent’s very own Olympics for young people. Fully engaged with such an exciting opportunity, the 13 School Sports Partnerships around Kent began managing local heats and trials to find those performers and schools who would make it through and represent their partnership at the finals. The hard work and dedication of Directors of Sport, Partnership Development Managers and their teams meant that a phenomenal 515 events (involving boys and girls at primary, secondary school and special schools, from years 3 to 11) were organised county wide. The opening ceremony for the Kent School Games took place on Saturday 14 June 2008 at the Julie Rose Stadium, Ashford, with Dame Kelly Holmes leading the parade of athletes down the 100 metre straight. In true opening ceremony style, a colourful display of artistic talent from local performing arts schools entertained the 1,000 strong crowd. With the Beijing Olympics as the theme, it seemed only fitting that Medway Lion Dancers Association were there to ‘wow’ with their impressive display of dragon dancers. As well as extending opportunities for competitive school sport, the Kent School Games was used to raise the profile of existing county wide competitions such as the Disability School Games. Held on Wednesday 25 June 2008 at Sevenoaks School and supported by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, this event enabled young people around the County with disabilities to compete in nine sports.

Kent Schools Games Tag Rugby

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Kent School Games and Disability Games

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service A huge success, with one parent noting “Really good day! I'd never seen a Disability event and it worked really well!” The Finals of the Kent School Games incorporated 23 sports (including 9 disability sports), held over 9 days utilising some of Canterbury’s best facilities with one teacher stating “Final venues appeared to be outstanding. …….The Games have been excellent overall with vast participation from heats to the finals and some outstanding talent being shown.” In total, 30,000 young people took part in the Games, which make the Kent School Games the biggest school event in the UK and probably in Europe. So what did the participants think? ‘Really fun because we got to play other kids from around the county. The planning is very good and the playing conditions are very good. Brilliant choice of venue’. ‘Amazing, best time ever, excellent, perfect’ (Canterbury). ‘Brilliant, superb’ (Shepway) ‘Challenging, fun, enjoyable’ (Dartford). With an amazing 4,422 finalists and 177 schools competing at the finals for 2008, the 2010 games are a very exciting prospect indeed. Plans are already underway for the 2010 Games to involve more sports and more schools. For more information please contact Natalie Harris at [email protected] or visit www.kentsport.org/schoolgames

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Kent Disability School Games

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Physical Education and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP)

Most recently this has seen the start of Sport Unlimited which will fund over £1million worth of sport and physical activity to young people over the next 3 years alone. Alongside this is the Unit’s The new PE and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP) aimed other work supporting school sport on other established schemes at 5-19 year olds was launched in January 2008 and builds on the such as volunteering, inter/intra - competition, school club links and funding for activity on school sites. Central to all of this previous work of the PE, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) Strategy. It will see an investment of £755 million over three years work, and in advance of London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and was announced by the Prime Minister in July 2007. This will has been the highly successful inaugural Kent School Games in 2008, which will be run again in 2010. deliver work in the following areas of PE and Sport for young people - School Club Links, Coaching, Competition, Continuing For more information on any of these schemes/projects please Professional Development, Disability, Extending Activities (now contact Nathan Hazledene, Kent School Sport Manager at Sport Unlimited), Gifted and Talented, Infrastructure, Leadership [email protected] – alternatively you can visit and Volunteering and Swimming. the school’s section of the website by logging on to www.kentsport.org/schools The new strategy aims to ensure that all 5-16 years olds have access to two hours High Quality curriculum time PE and three hours beyond the curriculum, and that 16-19 year olds have three hours of sport outside of the curriculum. This is what is referred to as the ‘Five Hour Offer’. The Kent Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service works closely with all 15 Kent School Sport Partnerships, Advisory Service Kent and Kent Competition Managers in helping to deliver and maximise opportunities arising from the 5 hour offer to all young people in the county.

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Disability Sport

The current sports represented in the scheme are: Paralympic: Athletics, Archery, Boccia, Cycling, Equestrianism, Football, Goalball, Judo, Rowing (Adaptive), Sailing, Shooting, Sitting Volleyball, Table Tennis, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby. Winter Paralympic sports: Skiing, Wheelchair Curling

The Associate Disability Sports Officer Scheme This scheme has been expanded to cover 21 Paralympic officers and an additional Sports Link Officer post has also been established. Kent Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service’s Disability Development Officers are currently working towards representation of all 19 Paralympic sports under the Associate Officer Scheme, ahead of London 2012. This is to help the scheme maximise its support to all Paralympic sports and to respond positively to any international enquiries re Pre-Games training camps. Within this last year, three new Associate Officers were appointed: • Athletics - Mark Dayson - English Athletics County Development Officer • Equestrianism - Emma Kent - International competitor and potential London 2012 Paralympian • Wheelchair Rugby - Steve Brown - Kent Crusaders and GB Squad member and potential London 2012 Paralympian

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Tanni Grey-Thompson cheers on young people at the Disability School Games Gold medal Paralympian Dame Tanni Grey Thompson gave her encouragement to competitors of the Kent School Disability Games when she visited Sevenoaks School on 25 June. More than 450 young people from across the County competed in the event which forms part of the overall Kent School Games, organised by Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service, involving over 30,000 students. This year, 27 schools were represented in nine disability sports including Archery, Athletics, Boccia, Cycling, Football, New Age Kurling, Swimming, Indoor Rowing and Sitting Volleyball. Wheelchair Fencing also made an appearance as a demonstration sport.

Hilary Lister sailing at Dover

Record Breaking Quadriplegic Woman Re-Launches Solo Sail Around Britain Hilary Lister, 36, has officially re-launched the ‘Round Britain Dream’, in which she aims to become the first disabled woman to sail solo around Britain, Hilary first came to prominence when, in 2005, she became the first disabled sailor to cross the English Channel, single-handed. In 2007, she became the first disabled woman to sail around the Isle of Wight. During the attempt in 2008, Hilary and her team were beset by problems after setting sail from Dover on 16 June, with bad weather and technical issues with the boats hampering progress. Having reached Newlyn in Cornwall, Hilary and the team made the difficult decision to halt the attempt but have resolved to complete the journey this year, in the late spring. Kent County Council has supported Hilary and looks forward to continuing that support and for Hilary completing her Journey.

Other top name Paralympic athletes who helped to cheer on the competitors and present the awards included Alastair McKean from Canterbury, who went on to win a bronze medal in Beijing in Rowing; John Cavanagh, gold medal Archery Paralympian and Mark Parsons, a Wheelchair Fencer. Potential Paralympians from Kent, Alexandra Adams and Vicky Silk, also made guest appearances to support the Swimming and the Athletics events. Next year’s event is in the planning and the hope is that more schools than ever before will take part in an even wider variety of sports. For further information please contact Mike Bishop on 01732 525389 / [email protected]

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Goalball Goalball is for blind / visually impaired people, and is played without any sight at all (i.e. participants are blind folded). Goalball is a Paralympic sport, although GB did not send a team to Beijing and it is still undecided as to whether they will field a team in 2012, for under the last round of UK Sport and Sport England funding, Goalball did not receive any funding. A new Goalball club has been established at Cascades Leisure Centre, Gravesend and Swanscombe Leisure Centre. Please contact Sonya Sims, the Disability Sports Link officer in Gravesham for more details on 01474 536254 or at [email protected]

Goalball

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Kent Schools Adaptive Rowing Group A new an exciting initiative has been developed by special schools in the County working in partnership with the Sports, Leisure and Olympics Service, Dover Rowing Club and the Amateur Rowing Association. The Kent Schools Adaptive Rowing Group (KSARG) has been set up due to the success of the sport in past World Championships and Paralympics by Kent Rowers. Interest has been high and process of development to meet this demand is required to ensure that this development is sustainable and remains inclusive.

Member of the GB Adaptive Rowing Team Alastair Mckean, who recently achieved a bronze medal in the 2008 Paralympics, has been instrumental in driving the group forward and says, “I am delighted to see interest in the sport in the county as this is a sport which can be enjoyed whatever your ability. I hope that the group can provide the development and inspiration for the next Paralympic competitors.”

National Disability Cycling Events to be held in Kent 2009

The plan is to develop partnerships between Schools, Community Groups, Disability Organisations, Rowing clubs, Partnership Development Managers and School Sport Coordinators, Amateur Rowing Association and the Regional Rowing Council to ensure the future participation and access to the sport by people with a disability.

Hand Cycling in Kent

The group aims to achieve the following: • taster sessions in Adaptive Rowing • the inclusion of Adaptive Rowing in the Kent Disability School Games • ‘dry’ instructors coaching courses in the county • adult participants represented GB and the region at National indoor and outdoor events and at World Rowing Championships and Paralympic • organised coaching sessions at Kent’s special and designated schools. • links created with Kings School Canterbury and the feasibility of the creation of a Kent Centre of Excellence. • strong Links with the South East Rowing Development Officer ARA and the National Adaptive Rowing Development Officer ARA • strong links created with the Kent Sport Leisure and Olympics Disability Project.

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The Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure, and Olympics Service has been working in partnership with Handcycling UK, British Cycling, South-East Road Race League (SERRL) and Gravesend Cycling Club to bring three National Championship events to the County for summer 2009. The sport of Handcycling is growing rapidly and this will be the first time that Kent has attracted any National Disability Cycling events.

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service The events include the Handcycling UK British Championships 2009 and the British Cycling, National Disability Criterium Series 2009. Following the recent Paralympic Gold Medal success for Great Britain, Kent will host the first British Handcycling Championship race. The event will consist of a one-hour plus one-lap race on the 2.71-mile tarmac track at Fowlmead and will attract generous prize money plus the honour of being crowned British Champion. The event is open to all handcyclists and, with the proximity of Fowlmead to the Channel Tunnel, it is hoped that a good number of handcyclist from Europe will compete. Barry North, chair of Handcycling UK, said “This first British Championship will help to raise the level of competition in the sport and help handcyclists in their preparations for the 2012 Paralympic Games. We are most grateful for the support that is being given to the event by the South-East Road-Racing League and Kent County Council.” The British Cycling, National Disability Criterium Series 2009 is open to any rider with a disability and riders will compete at the same distance as the handcyclists in this stage of the series to earn points to contribute towards a National title. The riders will have a range of different abilities and a range of different adaptations to the cycles will be used. Phil Godfrey, the newly appointed Disability Coordinator for British Cycling says ”In 2009 British Cycling will host the inaugural National Disability Circuit Race Series. This exciting new series of races will create more opportunities for those with a disability by giving chances to compete for fun, or if you take your racing more seriously. British Cycling’s Paralympic coach will be taking a great interest in the races, so I would urge anyone with aspirations to ride at London 2012 to enter. With the National Disability Time Trial Championship the following day, Kent are hosting a great weekend of racing for riders with a disability.” Both the Hancycling UK British Championships and the British Cycling, National Disability Criterium Series will be held on the 18 July at Fowlmead Country Park near Deal. This park is the new country and activity park on the former shale spoil tip of

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Betteshanger Colliery. Redeveloped by English Partnerships and their agents, South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), as part of the National Coalfields Programme, Fowlmead Country Park has the tarmac cycle track, woods, lakes and leisure paths. The National 25 mile Disability Time Trial Championships 2009 event will be held on 19 July at Harrietsham near Maidstone on the time trial course Q10/20. The race will form part of a time trial organised by the Gravesend Cycling Club. Riders from across the County will battle it out over a set distance of 25 miles to claim the National Title. Kent County Council is delighted to be hosting the events following a successful international event which was run by the World Handcycling Federation at the Fowlmead circuit in 2007. Kent County Council’s Chris Hespe, Head of Sport, Leisure and Olympics, says, “I am delighted that Kent will be holding these National events which are a result of a partnership between the County Council, British Cycling Handcycling UK and Gravesend Cycling Club. These events will build on the legacy of the event in 2007 and drive forward the development of the sport for disabled people across the County.” Prize money for the events will be high and it is hoped that international riders will also attend. Anyone interested in the events should contact Paul Panton on 01732 525433 or e-mail [email protected] Hand Cycling

SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Elite Sport Supporting Talented Athletes

Bursaries awarded to 10 Promising Young Performers Ten promising young performers have been presented with Sporting Excellence Awards by Kent County Council. The performers, nominated by their national governing body of sport, were identified as some of the best sporting talent within Kent schools. Bursaries were awarded to the performers to assist them with training, competition and equipment costs. The 10 performers selected to receive the bursaries included seven non disabled and three disabled performers, who all attend Kent schools.

Talented sports people in Kent are given a range of support through the Kent FANS scheme, including free access to sports facilities for training (during off peak times), Rising Stars - on the road to London 2012! sport science advice and discounts on services. 30 Rising stars from Kent who are heading towards the world stage of 2012, including 14 potential Paralympians, now have Currently there are 430 athletes in the scheme their profiles featured on the new Rising Stars webpage on the Sport, Leisure and Olympics site. Some of the performers are and a cumulative number of 560 athletes supported by P&O Ferries and Kent Reliance Building Society. The plan is to increase the number of performers featured on the were supported in 2008. webpage as we progress towards 2012. Support available to national level performers has recently been streamlined into two tiers. The first level includes all the support and benefits available to performers through the Kent FANS scheme. The second tier focuses on 20 selected performers who were chosen, following nomination by their National Governing Body, to receive additional support from Kent County Council including grant aid of £1000, sport science support in partnership with the three universities in Kent, branded sports clothing and access to workshops and training. The 20 performers selected to receive tier 2 support include 12 non-disabled and eight disabled performers who are all aiming to compete at future Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Your Strategies

the health service, national governing bodies of sport, the police, leisure trusts, local businesses and country parks to come together to exchange information and set-up local sports projects.

Strategic Framework– setting the direction for sport The Strategic Framework for Sport, which states the vision and key priorities for sport through to the end of 2012 is in draft form currently and is due to be published shortly.

Kent Disability Sports Strategy The Disability Sports Strategy, which sets out a clear direction and way forward for disability sport in the county, was published in 2008.

Community Sports Networks There are now ten ‘Community Sports Networks’ operating in Kent in the following areas: Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Maidstone, Medway, Sevenoaks, Shepway, Swale, Thanet, and Tunbridge Wells. Community Sports Networks were set up to bring together local partners from the public, private and voluntary sectors that share an interest in sport and physical activity. They allow organisations such as local sports clubs, county and district councils, schools,

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Supporting Governing Bodies of Sport

Quest

Kent has supported over 30 National Governing Bodies of Sport this year. This support has varied from being a source of information for sport in the County to funding for projects and County Development Officer roles.

The Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service has been awarded Excellent status in Quest, the UK Quality Scheme for the sport and leisure industry. The score of 93% was the highest ever achieved in the UK by a county, district or city, sport or leisure service.

Partnership funding from the Kent Sports, Leisure and Olympics Service enabled the recruitment of the following four new roles in the County: • Gary Bason, Kent Golf Development Co-ordinator • Steve Franks, Squash & Racketball Development Co-ordinator • Tom Middleton, Interim Handball Development Officer • Lee Quilter, Dartford Judo Club Outreach Manager The introduction of the Kent County Governing Body Forum now provides support for 22 sports through a virtual network. The main aim of the forum is to enhance communication and increase knowledge of initiatives, policies and funding opportunities amongst County Associations. It also provides a mechanism for networking, consultation and information exchange through a Forum discussion page on the website www.kentsportsforum.org. Also, County Forum members can now benefit from a free Business Support Helpline, serviced by Croner. The helpline is there to advise members on areas such as human resources, health & safety and tax issues. For more information regarding the Kent County Governing Body Forum or general support for Nataional Governing Bodies in Kent, please contact Sheena Pitchford, Governing Body Support Manager on 01622 605069 or email [email protected]

Supporting Independence Programme The Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service is fully engaged in Kent County Council Communities Directorate’s Folkestone Forward Programme. This programme has an ambitious aim: through joint working, to use sport and the arts to help transform the more deprived east side of Folkestone. Initially, there will be a particular focus on young people not in education, employment or training; working age residents who receive benefits, and vulnerable older people. The service is assisting in the planning of a number of exciting future projects. Research The Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service provides a research function to the County, including running market segmentation pilot projects in partnership with the Sencio Leisure, the Kent Golf Partnership and Kent Athletics ‘Run 4 You project’.

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service Equality Standard – A Framework for Sport The Sport, Leisure and Olympic Service has achieved the foundation & preliminary levels of the ‘Equality Standard – A Framework for Sport’, and is currently working towards the Intermediate level.

One of the targets, National Indicator 8 (NI8), is to increase the percentage of adults (aged 16+) participating in sport and active recreation. A wide range of partners have signed up to the delivery plan for NI8. The key areas within the delivery plan focus on:

There are four levels of achievement: Foundation, Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced.

• identifying and promoting sport & active recreation opportunities across the County

The Standard is a framework and vehicle for widening access and increasing the participation and involvement in sport and physical activity from under-represented individuals, groups and communities; especially women and girls, ethnic minority groups and disabled people.

• developing workplace health & physical activity with Kent businesses

It will assist sports organisations in developing equality-proofed policies, structures and processes and will allow for performance to be assessed, ensuring continuous improvement in equality. The Sport, Leisure and Olympic Service has developed, and is currently working towards delivery of an Equality Action Plan. One of the actions within the plan is to ensure that all key policies and documents have been equality impact assessed to ensure that policies do not affect any group differently, and to ensure that the needs of all groups are met. Further information on the Standard can be found at: www.vagaassociates.com or www.equalitystandard.org

The Development of Sports Participation and Physical Activity for Adults Kent Agreement 2 sets out the priorities for Kent, agreed between central government and the Kent Partnership (the local partnership of key public, private and voluntary sector organisations). The Agreement contains 35 targets covering a wide range of areas, from number of people claiming state benefits to levels of CO2 emissions. The local partners will be working together to meet these targets between 2008 and 2011.

• developing programmes of activity that encourage families, parents and other adults to take up activities • working towards a programme of supported Swimming, to include teaching, across the County as a legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games • Establishing a new campaign, ‘Active Kent’ with Kent’s two Primary Care Trusts.

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Your Volunteering The volunteers programme within the Sport, Leisure and Olympic Service has been working hard in setting up a system to encourage more sports volunteers and to embed sports volunteering within the volunteer network in Kent. Step-into-Sport Step into Sport is a Youth Sport Trust (YST) and Sport England programme aimed at 11 - 19 year olds to help highlight a pathway for young volunteers into the sports industry and/or lifelong volunteering. The programme has a particular objective for the 14 to 19 age group; to help develop Leadership Academies within each of the School Sport Partnerships (SSPs) in Kent and Medway, identifying and supporting the young volunteers within schools and community groups. It will utilise resources within the KCC Sports, Leisure & Olympics Service, in the role as the County Sports Partnership (CSP) for Kent to ensure that 75% of young

volunteers are supported and offered local, county, regional and or national opportunities through the SSPs, CSP and National Governing Bodies of Sport programmes.

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

County News

The scheme is open to sportswomen and sportsmen of all ages, including those with disabilities, who are competing in their sport at county or regional level and who live within the Thanet District Council boundary.

Thanet District Council piloting scheme to support talented sports people

For further information about the scheme in Thanet contact Martyn Cassell, Sports Development Officer, Thanet District Council, on 01843 577367.

Thanet District Council is piloting the Kent Free Access for County and Regional Sports people scheme (FACS) which has been established to provide support to Kent’s leading talented sports performers. The scheme aims to provide county & regional level sports people with free access at designated off-peak times to a number of the County’s leisure and sports facilities for personal training and development. Thanet is the first area in Kent which has signed up to pilot the FACS scheme, which is an extension of the Kent FANS scheme which is for national level performers. Similar schemes have run for a number of years in Ashford and Shepway, but the long-term aim is to get countywide coverage of the FACS scheme, providing support to all County and regional level sports performers in Kent. The FACS scheme in Thanet is administered and delivered by Thanet District Council in partnership with Thanet Leisure Force and has the full support of the Sport, Leisure and Olympic Service. Three facilities in the district (Hartsdown Leisure Centre, Ramsgate Sports Centre and Ramsgate Swimming Pool) have signed up to the scheme, and allow talented performers to use their facilities free of charge at off peak times for training.

Getting Active and Feeling Alive in Canterbury In its third year, ‘Get Active: Feel Alive’ had a successful campaign in 2008. Aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle and encouraging physical activity across the district, Get Active: Feel Alive gave the community a chance to try out different activities for no charge and enabled the whole family to get involved and take part in a fun event aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle. This year’s events in Whitstable, Canterbury and Herne Bay saw thousands of children and adults try out new activities including Fencing, Gymnastics, Dance, Yoga, Martial Arts, Cricket, Football, Rugby, Skiing, Boxing and Trapeze. Children and adults also took part in the Beijing Challenge, a specially commissioned obstacle course inspired by the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Sports Specific News Football - Kent FA Keen to Attract Further Investment into Grassroots Football The Kent FA is delighted to have successfully assisted 119 applicants in attracting almost £12.5 million pounds into football pitches and facilities, with almost half the amount being awarded by the Football Foundation.

Gymnastics – Pegasus Continues to Develop Rising Stars ahead of 2012 Pegasus Gymnastics Club has enjoyed another successful year, and a brilliant performance at the recent British Championships has placed the local boys at the top of the National rankings. One young starlet, Courtney Tulloch, flew to Austria with the British Team to compete in the prestigious international team event to support the development of future stars. His recent rise in national ranking saw him selected to compete in the under 16 category, and despite being only just 13, he managed to finish fifth! He and his Coach, Ionut Trandaburu, were named in the Great Britain Team for a major competition in Hungary in December 2008.

Whilst offering support to applicants looking to gain funding for pitches and facilities through monthly facility workshops and site Hockey – Kent Hockey Commits to Youth visits, the Kent FA has also been liaising with all local authorities Development to produce a Kent Football Pitches and Facilities Strategy. It is hoped that this will allow them to become even more proactive in As many thousands of young people tuned in to watch the world’s best Hockey players at the Beijing Games, the Kent attracting investment into local authority owned football pitches Hockey Association announced the establishment of five Junior and facilities. There is also further good news with the Kent FA being successful Development Centres in the County for U12 and U13 age groups, and a Kent Junior Academy Centre for U13s to further improve in assisting 50 applicants in attracting almost £3.5 million into community and education projects The community and education the flow of talented youngsters through to regional, national and international level. funding is allocated to projects that are designed to increase participation by both players and volunteers. The grants use Football development initiatives to tackle social exclusion, tackle health inequalities and contribute to educational attainment and lifelong learning. If you would like any more information about investment and funding into Football, please contact Paul Dolan on 01634 812 032 or email [email protected].

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service The new centres will provide clearer stepping stones from school or club through to area, county, and regional centres to international squads as part of England Hockey’s “Single System for Hockey”. It is also intended that another age group will be added each year up to 2013. There was further good news with the appointment of Cathy Gilliat-Smith as the Kent Junior Co-ordinator. Cathy plays regularly for Canterbury Ladies in the England Hockey National League, and is an England and Great Britain international with a bronze medal from the 2006 Commonwealth Games. As someone who has come through the junior ranks of Kent club Hockey and made it to the top, Cathy is uniquely placed to lead this exciting initiative. The new centres are located around the County to allow local access for talented juniors from local Hockey clubs and schools. For further information contact Gill Thomson on [email protected]

Basketball - BBaLL Skills Challenge Tips Off The Better Basketball and Lifetime Learning (BBaLL) Skill Challenge is the newest way for players to track their performance of shooting, passing and ball handling skills against other players in their local area. Schools and clubs in Kent have opened the 2008/09 Skills Challenge and encourage more children in the County to take part in this virtual competition. Players must complete a circuit on the Basketball court against the clock and can compare their time against other players in their team, school, partnership or club.

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SportsVoice The newsletter of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Movers & Shakers in Sport in Kent Those taking up new posts in 2008 included the following: • Kate Pomphrey – Sports, Play and Youth Development Manager, Maidstone Borough Council (started on Mon 1December). • Vikki Soles – Assistant Partnership Development Manager (PDM), Greenacre School Sport Partnership • Alastair McKean – Competition Manager • Maidstone Borough Council – Sports Development Officer • Sarah Hopkins – Assistant Partnership Development Manager, Canterbury • Jaclyn Butler - Subject Leader PE at Swan Valley Community School • Dan Taylor - Newly Qualified Teacher for PE (NQT PE) at Swan Valley Community School

Promotions: Congratulations to the following, who have taken on new positions: • Simon Smith - Assistant Principal (Specialism), Castle Community College • Dave Burren -Director of Sport, Hayesbrook School • Dave Rowe - Deputy Head, Hayesbrook School • Maeve Dalton – on returning from maternity leave Maeve will be an Extended Schools Manager, Canterbury High School.

Farewell: • Stewart Seymour – Director of Sport, Astor of Hever Community School is moving on and responsibility being taken up by Paul Brown (Deputy Head).

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2009-2010 Excellent

Olympic Games and Paralympic Games legacy

AnnualReport AnnualReport of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

KentSport The Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service is part of Kent County Council’s Communities Directorate

Annual Report of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

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2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games The Kent Campaign for the 2012 Games involves a cross-sectoral partnership of organisations seeking to ensure that Kent gets maximum benefit and long-term legacy from the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The Campaign is managed and led by the Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service. Key work of the Kent Campaign for the 2012 Games included working with partners to: • Achieve ‘Outstanding’ Beacon status for its work on Olympic and Paralympic Games Legacy. The Beacon award managed by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) celebrates excellence and innovation in local government. Kent County Council was one of only five local authorities in the UK to be recognised by the Government for its work relating to the 2012 Games. • Post Beijing, refresh a Kent 2012 strategy to work across eight sectors of sport, tourism, business, arts, volunteering, schools and young people, skills and training, transport and media to take us up to December 2011. • Provide services to over 700 national level performers from Kent through the FANS scheme (Free Access for National Sports People), providing benefits including discounts for sports physiotherapy, equipment and clothing.

AAnnual Report of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

• Introduce a support programme to 20 elite performers to help them achieve their Olympic and Paralympic ambitions. • Promote 31 approved London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) Pre-Games training camp venues to international teams, which is more than any other county and some regions. • Achieve the highest number of companies registered in the South East with CompeteFor, London 2012’s business ‘dating agency’ matching companies to opportunities. • Introduce a Tourism Destination Management System though Visit Kent which aims to have 2.8 million website hits in 2012. • Mark the launch of the Cultural Olympiad with a number of events around the County, including Light Up Dover, the Gravesham ‘Festival of Light’ and the ‘Storytelling’ events in Swale. • Launch Kent’s 20 in12 learning programme which every Local Children’s Services Partnership in the County has signed up to. • Achieve the highest number of registrations in the UK to London 2012’s national education programme, Get Set. • Manage the 2012 Small Grants Fund which has funded £9,000 worth of community funding in 2008-2009. Further work of the Kent Campaign is featured elsewhere within this Annual Report. A full summary of 2012 related work during 2008 can be found on www.kentsport.org/London2012

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Annual Report of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

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Major Events • National Beach Volleyball Championships held at Margate in June 2008. The event was part of Volleyball England Beach Tour. • Members of the Slovenian Gymnastics Squad came and took part in the Pegasus Open Gymnastics Tournament that was held at Mote Leisure Centre in June. • Ukrainian International Women’s Gymnastics Squad came and took part in training sessions with the MEAPA Gymnastics Club. • Continued to campaign for the 2012 Torch to enter the UK at Dover

• Staged a ‘Torch Visioning Event’ in March 2009 where key partners, including politicians, artists and young people had the opportunity to scope how the Torch may arrive. • Light-Up, Open-Up Dover marked the launch of the national Cultural Olympiad. Light-Up Dover, 26 September 2008, creatively managed by The World Famous, saw an estimated 12,000 people flock to Dover Harbour to enjoy a groundbreaking fire show to celebrate the town’s rich history. Open Up Dover, 27-28 September 2008, featured a range of buildings, sites not usually accessible ‘opened’ up to the public. • Launched the Kent eVent Team with the Kent 2012 volunteer sectoral task group, to supply volunteers for one-off sport, leisure and cultural events. By the end of March 2009, 306 volunteers had fully registered with the Kent eVent Team.

Annual Report of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Quality

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Facilities and Funding • Secured £4.6 million external funding for sport in Kent. • Planned for sports’ input into the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. • Distributed 14 Pfizer Sports Fund grants (totalling £12,222) to organisations such as Kent Gliding Club, for a project for disabled and disadvantaged people to receive instructional flights in a two-seater dual controlled glider. • Distributed 54 Kent Reliance Building Society Sportsaver grants (totalling £18,140) for organisations and individuals, such as Vicky Silk, who was given a contribution towards travel expenses incurred in attending International Wheelchair and Amputee Sport World Championships in Taiwan, where she won a bronze medal in the Javelin. • Managed the Capital Grants for Sport programme, which recently funded Kent Crusaders Wheelchair Rugby Club (£5,000), Pegasus Gymnastics Club (£7,000) and Medway and Maidstone Athletics Club (£10,000)

• Achieved Beacon status for its work on Olympic and Parlympic Games Legacy, with the top grade of ‘Outstanding’! • Achieved the status of ‘Excellent’, scoring 93% in Quest for Sports Development, the UK Quality Scheme for Sport and Leisure. • Preliminary level of the Equity Standard for Sport maintained. • Maintained Intermediate Standard and submitted portfolio to achieve Advanced Standard for Child Protection in Sport.

• Supported the Kent Trust for Youth Sport, to provide grants to individuals and organisations in youth sport. A total of 29 grants totalling £7,650 were given out. • Advised over 90 schools on development of their sports facilties.

Annual Report of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Supporting Clubs, Coaches, Leaders and Volunteers

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New Age Curling

• Promoted the Kent Club Connect Card for sports clubs to receive discounts on training and equipment, using a promotional DVD to attract 262 clubs to the scheme. The scheme has been noted as an example of good practice across the UK. • Coordinated the Community Volunteers Conferences as part of the STEP INTO SPORT programme, to develop 188 young leaders in conjunction with school sport partnerships. 700 young people who were interested in volunteering were registered on the STEP INTO SPORT web site. • Led on the Kent Sports Leadership Project with Sports Leaders UK and local youth and community safety partners, to develop more sports leaders to support the community safety agenda. • Worked with volunteer centres to coordinate sports volunteering in the County offering 62 volunteer opportunities, identified 37 sports volunteers and placed 27 volunteers. • Supported 119 clubs towards achieving Clubmark accreditation • Delivered training to over 1,000 coaches, leaders, officials, volunteers and teachers.

Disability Sport • Staged the Disability Schoool Games with over 400 young sports people competing in nine different sports. Winners were presented with medals and trophies by Paralympic Gold medalist Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson OBE, MBE. • Identified and supported 21 disabled athletes at, or with potential to reach, international standard and / or to compete in future Paralympic Games. • Delivered an extensive programme of outdoor pursuits opportunities, such as Climbing, Canoeing and, Sailing providing for people with disabilities. • Continued to implement the Disability Sport Strategy for 2008-2012.

Annual Report of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

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Other Strategies • Supported 45 Governing Bodies of Sport to develop their sport in Kent. • Supported Kent and Medway Sports Board to oversee Regional Sports Board funded work in the County.

School Sport and Young People

• Produced a new draft Strategic Framework for Sport in Kent 2009-2012. • Ensured that whole sports plans were developed to support sports targets in the Local Area Agreement. • Supported strategic groups, such as those concerned with the Charlton Athletic Community Scheme, healthy living and also Thames Gateway, in the drafting of an Olympic Action Plan.

• Planned and organised the Kent School Games Finals including over 50 separate • Supported the existing ten Community Sports Networks (CSNs) in the County, events covering 23 different sports, involving over 5,000 young people from more which promote local-level physical activity. than 500 schools and 1,200 medallists. • Advised on over 40 strategies, consultancies and plans. • Supported over 100 new schemes for out-of-school hours activity on school • Developed the website to achieve 3.6 million ‘hits’, 134,000 unique visitors, sites, contributing to the government’s ‘5 hour offer’ for physical activity for young and 720,000 page views. people in the County, representing a £71,700 investment in sport. • Worked with School Sport Partnerships and other partners to implement the Sport Unlimited programme of sports courses for young people. In total £246,750 was allocated to 114 projects. • Supported School Sports Partnerships and other partners to raise levels of two hours per week of participation in Physical Education and Sport in Kent from 84% to 88%. • Encouraged 29% of pupils to join one or more community sports clubs.

• Made 129 contacts with the media, secured 79 radio /television interviews and achieved 2379 column inches in the press to promote sport and involvement in the 2012 Games.

Annual Report of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Financial Matters 08/09 The total core revenue budget for the service in 2008/09 was £928,000, provided primarily by Kent County Council.

£000s Core Income Kent County Council

1080.1

Project contributions

30

Service Level Agreement

55

Internal transfers4 Total core income

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Expenditure on core services was split as follows:

£000s Expenditure Staffing

636.2

Staff related (training/transport/recruitment)

42.6

Support costs

57.3

Accommodation

64.1

Publications and Printing

57.9

Projects 448 (including Towards 2010 projects, KSG, Talented Performers, Physical Activity and Olympics / Paralympic programmes) Total expenditure

1306.1

151 1306.1

In addition, the Sport, Leisure & Olympics Service managed the following funds in the County: • External Funding from Regional Sports Board and District Councils (investment into County Sports Partnership and associated schemes) - £866k • Performance Reward Grant - £56k • KCC Small Capital Grants Scheme - £100k • The Kent Loan for Sport Fund - £45k • Small Community Grants fund - £30k

Annual Report of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

Member Support

Staffing Kent County Council core funded posts

12.5

Project funded posts with Kent County Council contracts 14 Sports Specific / Associate Officers and other posts supported by the Unit The service receives funding from a variety of partners, but is particularly grateful to Sport England for funding towards a number of its programmes.

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Throughout the year, the Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service was indebted to the following County Councillors for their support: • Michael Hill OBE, Cabinet Member for Community Services • Elizabeth Tweed, Lead Member for Sport

31

• Jeff Curwood, Chairman and other Members of the Kent County Council Sport, Olympics and Paralympics Group • Members of the Kent County Council Cross-Directorate Olympic and Paralympic Group

Annual Report of Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service

page 44

Thank You to our Supporters

Views, Comments and Feedback

Kent Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service is very grateful to the following organisations for their support:

The Service always welcomes any views on its work. These should be addressed to: Kent Sport, Leisure & Olympics Service, Kent County Council, 30 Gibson Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4QG

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

P&O Ferries Kent Reliance Building Society Pfizer Ltd Kent Messenger Group Sportsmatch Sport England English Federation of Disability Sport Youth Sport Trust Sports coach UK Kent’s District Councils Robert Brett The Environment Agency Big Lottery Fund Denne Group Sports Leaders UK English Nature Kent County Supplies Maudesport Kent Youth Offending Service Kent Youth Service Kent Community Safety Team Advisory Service Kent Kent on Sunday Sports Aid South East

Telephone: 01622 605054 Email: [email protected] A summary of the Service’s Business Plan for 2009/2010 is available on request.

If you require any information in this annual report in another format such as cassette, braille or large print, please telephone 01622 605054. The content is also available on our website at www.kentsport.org

Kent Sport, Leisure & Olympics

www.kentsport.org

The Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service is part of Kent County Council’s Communities Directorate