News from Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Funding boost for physical activity in city
Stoke-on-Trent has been chosen to get a share of £4.5 million cashpot to be invested in physical activity.
Funded by Spirit of 2012 and managed by the English Federation of Disability Sport, Get Out & Get Active is a UK-wide initiative that focuses on getting people active and increasing participation so that disabled and non-disabled people can enjoy recreational activity together.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council submitted a bid to the project for funding and is delighted to have been awarded £245,000 to deliver the programme in the city. The money will be used over a three-year period to develop and deliver extra sport, wellbeing and fitness activities and sessions which are inclusive for people of all ages.
News of the cash boost comes as the city recently celebrated officially becoming a UK European City of Sport for 2016. The city council has committed £3.5million to deliver a programme of activity not only throughout 2016, but to help create a legacy of lasting benefits for the city. The funding from the Get Out & Get Active project will be built in to activities planned as part of the City of Sport status.
Commenting on the cash award, councillor Terry Follows, cabinet member with responsibility for leisure, said: “This is fantastic news for the city. The funding will allow us to provide people with a diverse range of activities in their own communities which they can take part in.
“We are only one of ten places in England to receive funding from the project and that is really pleasing, particularly with us being a European City of Sport for the UK. We will make sure this money is used wisely to help improve people’s long-term health and wellbeing, and hopefully encourage people to lead healthier lifestyles and get involved in physical activity.”
Spirit of 2012 is a charity set up with money from the Big Lottery Fund to carry forward the spirit of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The funding echoes the sentiments of the Sports Strategy released by the Government last month, which has put a huge emphasis on how playing sport and being active can have a meaningful and measurable impact on improving people’s lives.
Debbie Lye, chief executive of Spirit 2012, said: “This initiative can help all of us who are concerned about health and wellbeing to learn lessons that will support delivery of the Government’s new strategy for an active nation. We want to ensure that being active is appealing, accessible, fun and inclusive for people of all abilities. We are determined to understand how we can give people the confidence to enjoy more active lives together with their families and friends.”
Barry Horne, chief executive for the English Federation of Disability Sport, said: “I am absolutely delighted that our consortium has been chosen by Spirit of 2012 to oversee such a major investment into communities across the UK. The programme will deliver exciting new opportunities for disabled and non-disabled people to Get Out and Get Active.”
Support offered to city’s sporting stars
Sportspeople of all ages are being encouraged to apply for a share of £45,000 funding to help them reach their potential
The Talented Athlete Support (TAS) programme is now open for applications with the aim of nurturing existing talent and unearthing the next Steven Lewis, Angela Smith or Imran Sherwani.
Stoke-on-Trent is a European City of Sport for 2016 and the city council is delighted to be supporting athletes and sportspeople by making up to £1,000 available to those who qualify.
Support will be offered to people currently taking part in 46 sports, from athletics and angling to cycling, gymnastics, swimming and wheelchair basketball. The funding will be made available over a three-year period to people who live in the city and have represented their sport at county level or above in the last 12 months. The money is to help with the cost of travelling to events or specialist training, personal equipment and kits and access to sports science services at Staffordshire University.
All applications received will be assessed by a seven-strong panel of local representatives who will meet up to four times a year. Up to a quarter of the annual budget of £15,000 will be given out each time the panel meets, with any money left rolled over to the next meeting.
Councillor Terry Follows, cabinet member with responsibility for leisure, said: “This is all about helping our talented local athletes reach their full potential and excel in their chosen sport.
“As a city we have a rich sporting heritage and some very talented sportspeople which we’re very proud of, but we know there can be a lot of costs that come with a sports career such as travel expenses and competition entries. This funding should address some of those potential barriers and make a positive contribution to the development of our sportspeople.
“A key part of being a European City of Sport for 2016 is making sure the benefits go much further than just this year and I’m very proud we are giving people the support they need to pursue their sporting dreams.”
Applicants can apply for support from the scheme once a year. They will be assessed against set criteria and the individual and their coaches might be asked to attend the panel hearing to support the assessment process. Successful applicants will be able to access specialist sports science services at Staffordshire University.
Dr Peter Jones, head of school of psychology sport and exercise at Staffordshire University, said “It’s great working with Stoke-on-Trent City Council in supporting the city’s sportspeople.
“We use the applied academic excellence at Staffordshire University to make a difference to elite athletes, helping them achieve their potential. We offer them a range of sport science support services including strength and conditioning, sport psychology, nutrition, injury treatment and prevention through our Sport Therapy (SUST) and Peak Condition Clinics. This will help them be their best.”
Local athlete Jazmin Sawyers won silver in long jump at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014. And the 21-yearold has given her full backing to the programme. She said: “Schemes like this can be absolutely integral in a young athlete’s career progression. I can confidently say that without help from programmes such as this one, I’d not be where I am today; I may have even dropped out of the sport. It can make all the difference when you need expensive physio treatment or equipment that helps you to keep up with your competitors.
“Costs can be something that aren’t immediately obvious in sport, but you find that as a sportsperson things begin to add up extremely quickly; once you’ve figured out travel, equipment, specific dietary requirements, medical treatment and access to biomechanics and body composition testing, you can find yourself broke, or without one of those things that could help you become the best athlete you can be.
“I can’t stress enough how much I would encourage talented athletes in Stoke-on-Trent to apply. You should aim to get every bit of help you can, and to aim even higher than you already are, this could be the push you need to take you to the next level. This wonderful initiative is providing athletes in the city with the opportunity to be even greater, and will help to grow more sports champions for Stoke-on-Trent.”
The first panel meeting will be held in April, with the deadline for submissions being March 31. For more information and application forms visit: www.stoke.gov.uk/cityofsport
Table tennis fever set to Ping! into city
Table tennis fever is set to take over Stoke-on-Trent this summer after the city was chosen to take part in an annual festival.
Ping!, now in its seventh year nationally, is coming to the Potteries for the first time from Friday, June 10. A total of 29 “stop and play” tables will be set up across public spaces in Stoke-on-Trent, giving shoppers, workers and visitors the chance to play table tennis, get active and have fun at the same time at no cost.
The festival is being held in 21 towns and cities across the country and Stoke-on-Trent is delighted to be taking part during its year as a UK European City of Sport. Six concrete tables will be installed in permanent locations across the city, while the remaining tables will be available for a 12-month period, and then afterwards donated into the community – creating a lasting legacy of opportunities to play table tennis in the city.
Councillor Terry Follows, cabinet member for greener city, development and leisure, said: “This initiative has been very successful in other parts of the country, with over one million people taking part last year, and we’re very excited to be bringing it to Stoke-on-Trent for the first time. It should create a really vibrant and fun atmosphere in our town and city centres and other places like public parks.
“The tables will be placed in convenient and accessible places across the city, making easy for people to pick up a bat and get involved in a fun, free activity. Being a European City of Sport is all about increasing participation at every level, and promoting active and healthy lifestyles, and Ping! is just one of the many events and activities throughout the year which people will be able to get involved with.”
The five new towns and cities joining the festival this year are Manchester, Barnsley, Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle and Bournemouth. Other cities taking part include Bristol, Leeds and Liverpool.
Ping! is funded by Sport England with the aim to get more people physically active. It is managed by Table Tennis England, the sport’s national governing body and is delivered through a range of partnerships with local authorities.
The news comes after it was confirmed last week that Fenton Manor Sports Complex will host England’s first home match table tennis match of the European Championships qualifying campaign against Greece on November 1. It will be the first chance to see England men in action on home soil since the ‘Ashes’ victory over Australia in Preston just before the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Robert Rhodes, chairman of Penkhull Table Tennis Club, said having Ping! in Stoke-on-Trent would be great for the city. He said: “Table tennis as a sport tends to get very little coverage so anything which will promote the sport and encourage participation is very welcomed.
“It’s great the tables will be public places and the main parks in the city and because some of them are going to be permanent, it should create a longer and lasting legacy for the sport. This will be an opportunity for people to have a go at table tennis and enjoy the sport.”
Chris Newton, regional manager for Table Tennis England, said: “Ping! brings a unique chance for the population of Stoke-on-Trent to play table tennis outdoors in a new, different and fun way. Tables, bats and balls will be placed in many busy and community locations around the city and will be free to access. Equipment will appear everywhere from the middle of Hanley right through to many of the city’s parks.”
An official launch event will be held in Tontine Square, Hanley, between 4pm and 7pm on Friday, June 10. A full list of the locations of the 29 tables will be released nearer the time.
Tickets selling fast for 1966 World Cup dinner
Tickets are selling fast to celebrate the 50th anniversary of England’s 1966 World Cup triumph.
And people who are thinking of going are being urged to avoid disappointment and grab their tickets before it’s too late.
National footballing legends Sir Geoff Hurst, Gordon Banks, Martin Peters, George Cohen and Norman Hunter will be at the King’s Hall, in Stoke, on Friday, April 22 for the special occasion. So far more than half of the 400 tickets available have been snapped up.
The black-tie dinner, organised by Potteries promoter and businessman Carl Holness, is one of a series of big events being planned for Stoke-on-Trent during its year as a European City of Sport.
Councillor Terry Follows, cabinet member with responsibility for leisure at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “The ’66 World Cup win remains a unique moment in our history that lifted an entire nation at the time, and continues to do so some 50 years later.
“To have five of the heroes of 1966 together at the King’s Hall on the same night is absolutely wonderful and I’m sure they’ll get a very warm welcome on the night, particularly Gordon who will need no introduction to the audience.
“There is so much going on and being planned for our year as a European City of Sport and events such as this one can only help to put the city on the map and raise its profile.”
Tickets cost £60 per person (gold) or £80 (VIP) and include a three-course meal. The VIP tickets also include a drinks reception with the players before the main event starts. There will also be an auction of memorabilia.
For more information, visit www.picatic.com/66winners-stoke or call 01782 777724.