Newsletters
June 2010 download
Welcome to the latest edition of the West Sussex–Ahead of the Game Newsletter. The countdown is on to London 2012 Open Weekend 2010, marking the two-year countdown to the Games. Do keep us in touch with your plans for the Open Weekend on 23-25 July.
We have recently published the Ahead of the Game plan for 2010-2011, so everyone can see the priorities to April 2011.
Featured in this newsletter is information on a range of Ahead of the Game activities, as well as national initiatives. Check out www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com for up to minute news and information about London 2012 and the work to secure benefits for West Sussex.
London 2012 Open Weekend
Between Friday July 23 and Sunday July 25, arts, culture and sporting organisations will be challenging the public to either try something new or take an existing interest to a new level. The events will be part of the nationwide Open Weekend activities.
A list of events in the county will be available on www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com. Don’t forget to let us know your organisation’s events – so far we are aware of over 10 events in the county.
Register your challenge and create your event listing to access the Open Weekend Brand Centre. This feature is new for 2010. From the Brand Centre you will be able to download the Open Weekend logo for use on your marketing materials, plus the London 2012 Campaign artwork.
Visit www.london2012.com/openweekend to find out more.
Contact: Carolyn Carr, West Sussex Coordinator for the 2012 Games
Carolyn.carr@westsussex.gov.uk or call 01243 753849
Photo Credit: Peter Langdown
West Sussex Olympians and Paralympians
Many West Sussex residents have contacted us to nominate people for the West Sussex Roll of Honour and 2012 Hopefuls lists, following a request for help.
The Roll Of Honour will celebrate people with strong connections to the county who have competed in previous Olympic or Paralympic Games, and the 2012 Hopefuls will profile and support those with a genuine chance of competing in the London 2012 Olympic Games or Paralympic Games.
Final work is taking place to prepare for the launch of the initiative in the coming weeks.
Physical activity, Sport and Pre-Games training camps
Pre-games camps pick up pace
The drive is on to attract more teams and nations following the Barbados success.
The Barbados Olympic Association will use K2 Crawley as their main pre-games training venue in the lead up to 2012. Following this success, we have been promoting the offers of other venues approved by London 2012 to host camps.
East Grinstead Sports Club, one of the leading hockey facilities in the UK and home to the national indoor and outdoor champions 2010, has a proven track record of hosting high performance teams, and of staging major events. The excellent hockey training camp offer is being promoted to national hockey federations.
Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre’s athletics training camp includes one of the few indoor training areas in the South East, with its 60 metre track. The offer is being promoted to a number of Caribbean nations, and was recently visited by a representative of the Grenada Olympic Committee.
Chichester Gold partners, including the Chichester Bowmen Archery club, Chichester District Council, the University of Chichester, and the County Council, have come together to package an archery training camp offer, to include competition opportunities. The offer forms part of a South East training camp package being presented to the International Archery Federation.
Contact: Carolyn Carr, West Sussex Coordinator for the 2012 Games
Carolyn.carr@westsussex.gov.uk or call 01243 753849
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Horsham District Council
Active Sussex Annual Partner conference has a 2012 theme
The 30th June conference will consider the opportunities from the Olympics and Paralympics.
The morning conference will highlight the opportunities the Games offer to planners, deliverers and decision makers of sport and physical activity. Organisers hope it will inspire by providing additional ideas on how we can ensure our organisations capitalise on the 2012 spotlight.
The conference will also highlight the recently published Active Celebration guidance, which sets out the potential of the London 2012 Games to promoting physical activity and sports participation.
The report from The Centre for Sport, Physical Education and Activity Research (SPEAR) has highlighted how the Games should be seen in terms of wider initiatives and strategies. The report provides advice and guidance on the approaches required, depending on whether the aim is to get those who currently (or have previously) participated in sport to participate a little more, or to encourage the least active to think about becoming active.
For further information on the conference and to book call 01273 643869 or visit Active Sussex.
Photo Credit: Peter Langdown
Playground to Podium assessment days in July
Young disabled sportspeople get a chance to show their talent.
The latest round of Playground to Podium County Athlete Assessment Days (CAAD) for swimming, table tennis, wheelchair basketball, athletics and football are fast approaching.
They follow successful ‘ability days’ to identify 15 young people within each sport who have the potential to go forward to be tutored by top National Governing Body coaches.
Playground to Podium is the framework to help young disabled people progress from PE and community sport to high level performance and competition. By bringing together the Youth Sport Trust, Sport England, Paralympics GB and the English Federation of Disability Sport, a pathway has been created to ensure that Britain finds and supports its next Paralympic heroes.
CAAD Events
Friday 9 July - Swimming CAAD Event, Olympos Burgess Hill, contact Kirstie Jackson on 01628 483 960 or Kirstie.Jackson@swimming.org
Wednesday 14 July - Dry-side CAAD Event, Worthing Leisure Centre, contact Carrie Reynolds on 01903 725451 or carrie.reynolds@inspireleisure.co.uk
Photo credit: Dave Perris
Sussex tops national results
Sussex has come top nationally as the most successful county to roll out Sport England’s Sport Unlimited programme.
Recent results from Sport England show that “the average retention rate across all 49 County Sports Partnerships nationally was 78%. The highest rates were: Cumbria at 92%, Northamptonshire at 91%, Hampshire at 91% and Sussex at 93%.”
Sport Unlimited is an initiative aiming to get more children and young people taking part in sport and physical activity, outside of school. Government funding is cascaded from Sport England to the County Sports Partnership’s network. The programme is targeted at ’semi sporty’ young people who have some interest in sport, but aren’t particularly involved within the community or local sports clubs. The aim is to engage them in an extra 1-2 hours a week (for 8 - 10 weeks) of high quality, sport and physical activity.
For further information on Sport Unlimited contact Jo Irving on jirving@brighton.ac.uk or call 01273 643838.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sport England
Culture
The Seed showcases at Borde Hill Gardens
Preparations are underway to bring the world of virtual gaming to the ‘Great Gardens of Sussex’ in time for the London 2012 Games.
The Seed is part of West Sussex - Ahead of the Game’s cultural programme, with production company Goat and Monkey commissioned by the West Sussex Arts Partnership to create an interactive quest, which will combine an outdoor performance by budding actors, a real treasure hunt and an online alternative reality game.
Inspiration has been taken from the 19th century plant hunters who discovered many of the plants and flowers we take for granted today. The four 'Great Gardens of Sussex' are Wakehurst Place, Nymans, Borde Hill and High Beeches.
Recently an audience was treated to a preview of the production at Borde Hill Gardens. The treasure hunters were transported around the Gardens in search of a plant hunter who had gone missing whilst overseas searching for new herbs. The Seed will build on this and launch in April 2011.
Photo credit: Colin Barker
Whispering Woods momentum builds
Singers of all abilities are invited to fill the air of West Sussex with music.
Plans are underway for a unique open-air choral event to take place at Tilgate Park, Crawley, on Sunday September 26. A free taster session at the Hawth Theatre, Crawley, took place on Saturday June 12. It brought together all levels of singers, including those who can’t read music.
The Tilgate Park event will involve the singers and audience walking through the park at twilight. The 40 minute programme will include the premiere of a newly commissioned repertoire by award winning composers Kyril Todorov and Lynne Plowman, as well as work by local composers Patrick Allen and Emily Barden.
There is already a 70-strong, ‘Whispering Woods’ choir meeting regularly at Westergate Community School, Westergate, Chichester, at 6pm every Monday evening in term-time, as part of singing group Bellacapella - more are welcome.
Free tickets are available for September 26th from The Hawth Box Office Tel 01293 553636
West Sussex Cultural Strategy published
The West Sussex Cultural Strategy for 2009 – 2014 aims to make the most of the wealth of cultural assets that exist in West Sussex.
The strategy will give all the organisations with an interest in the cultural framework and direction for the county a unifying set of priorities and objectives, which will allow the individual efforts of many to add up to something which is more than just a sum of the parts.
It sets out the contribution culture makes and the aspirations for culture of partners from across the county, and demonstrates the importance of a thriving cultural sector to the health and prosperity of West Sussex. The document also sets out a proposal of five priorities for culture, with a number of supporting objectives.
The West Sussex Cultural Strategy 2009 – 2014 is now available in printed and downloadable formats. If you would like a hard copy email jason.bradberry@westsussex.gov.uk.
Business
Winning business for London 2012
A workshop for businesses keen to bid for London 2012 contracts will be held in West Sussex next month.
On Tuesday July 6, ‘Advanced Bid Writing’ at The White Swan Hotel, Arundel, will look in depth at the London 2012 and Public Sector procurement process. It will detail how to write clear and concise responses to tender questions, exploring worked examples of tender questions, and how to create a winning presentation.
For further information visit the Business Link South East web site.
Education and Skills
Masterclasses a success on the coast
The Sports Masterclass programme has been awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark.
More than 150 pupils at four schools along the coast took part in the scheme, organised by Young Enterprise South East and supported by West Sussex-Ahead of the Game, and Aimhigher. Sports Masterclasses are unique Young Enterprise learning events for Year 10 students studying Physical Education and Sport, which help to develop business and enterprise skills.
The students had to think up a sport from scratch. At the end of the day they had to present to a panel of judges the details of their new sport to persuade them to invest.
The schools taking part were Littlehampton Academy, Durrington High School, Bognor Regis Community College, and Shoreham Academy.
Contact: Georgina Angele, Young Enterprise South East georgina.angele@yese.org.uk
First West Sussex school joins the Get Set network
Congratulations to Bognor Regis Community College.
They have become the first school in West Sussex to join the London 2012 Education Programme’s Get Set network. Any school or college registered with Get Set can apply to join in. Schools and colleges need to demonstrate a commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic values.
Members of the network gain access to the London 2012 education logo, which they can use on their school sign, headed paper, website and newsletter. They are also given priority access to exclusive London 2012 rewards and opportunities. To find out more, visit the London 2012 Get Set network.
The total number of West Sussex schools now registered with Get Set is over 130. All schools are encouraged to get involved, as the new look Get Set website has been launched.
The updated web site aims to make it easier for teachers and students to find their way around the website, and to raise the profile of initiatives, programmes and opportunities run in association with Get Set, by London 2012 partners.
Improvements include automated, real time registration statistics - up to the minute statistics about registrations and Get Set network members by nation, region and local authority.
West Sussex schools register for National School Sport Week
The second Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week is 28 June – 2 July 2010.
Delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week is a week-long sporting celebration for primary and secondary schools.
Last year more than 10,500 schools and three million children took part. Registered schools are given all the resources they need to generate interest and activities for pupils of all ages. It not only helps fulfill school objectives for PE and Sport, but can also be used across the curriculum to create excitement around the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Many West Sussex schools are registered to take part. For more information and to find out which schools are registered visit the School Sport Week web site.
Resilience and 2012
Sussex Resilience Forum 2012 Group kicks off
The first meeting of the Sussex Resilience Forum 2012 Games sub-group met in May.
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service will Chair the group, and organisations involved include Sussex Police, Gatwick Airport, Ambulance Service, NHS West Sussex, Government Office South East, West Sussex County Council Emergency Management, and 2012 Games' coordination. The group shared current knowledge and thinking, and considered the task ahead. Members agreed to meet every two months to progress the work.
Contact: Martin Funnell, Resilience and Policy Manager, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service martin.funnell@westsussex.gov.uk
National and Regional News
Olympic sports legacy plans
Plans to reform sport and deliver a lasting legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic Games are announced.
Hugh Robertson, the Minister for Sport and the Olympics said that "delivering a mass participation legacy for sport from London 2012 is one of my three top priorities. I want to see a marked, and sustained, cultural shift toward greater participation in sport."
This will be delivered by Sport England, one of this Department's non-departmental public bodies, which will now have two clear priorities:
- supporting sports governing bodies through the Whole Sport Plans
- delivering a mass participation sports legacy from London 2012
"To deliver this, Sport England will focus on improving facility provision and developing sport at a community level," Mr Robertson explained.
London 2012 Inspire Mark advice and support
Organisations are encouraged to apply for the Inspire Mark.
An Olympic and Paralympic first, the London 2012 Inspire programme officially recognises outstanding non-commercial projects and events inspired by the Games.
The South East has appointed Sue Gurney as the region’s Inspire Programmer, to deliver the sporting, economic and social Inspire Marks, alongside Caterina Lorriggio, overseeing the Cultural Inspire Marks. Projects interested in applying for the Inspire Mark should read the guidance on the London 2012 web site.
Contact: suegurney@seeda.co.uk
caterina.loriggio@artscouncil.org.uk
The torch relay will travel around the UK for 70 days, arriving in London the weekend before the Games begin on July 27.
Up to 8,000 torch bearers will be selected, with over half of the places expected to go to young people.
There will be a torch bearer nomination process, expected to be announced in May 2011, giving people across the UK the chance to be involved in this historic countdown to the start of the London 2012 Games.
Up to 95 per cent of the British population will be within a one-hour journey time of the route, officials promised.
Disability legacy
Plans to improve the lives of 10 million disabled people in the UK have been unveiled.
‘London 2012: A Legacy for Disabled People’ is endorsed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and aims to improve attitudes and perceptions of disabled people in society, increasing participation in sport and physical activity, and improving business, transport and employment opportunities.
Sport England announced at the launch that they are investing £1.5 million in the English Federation of Disability Sport to increase participation and opportunities for disabled people.
They have also announced that they will be making £2 million of targeted National Lottery funding available, by application, to nine disability sports organisations including: British Blind Sport, Mencap Sport, Wheelpower and the Special Olympics.
London 2012 and Arts Council England have also officially announced that £400,000 of funding has been awarded to ten commissions by disabled artists as part of the Unlimited programme. The scheme celebrates the arts, culture and sport by disabled and deaf people, and aims to help transform the disability arts movement in the UK, and celebrate the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Cultural Olympiad - the Festival - in 2012
Details for the grand finale of the Cultural Olympiad have been revealed.
Ruth Mackenzie, Director of Culture, has announced that LOCOG plans to stage a series of ‘festival trailblazers’ leading to the ‘Festival’. It will run from June 21 to September 9 2012.
At the heart of the ‘Festival’ will be a programme of new commissions by world-class artists and creative talents. The former Creative Director at Chichester Festival Theatre promises ‘Festival’ will be staged across the UK with a wide ranging programme from pop to film, from fashion to theatre, from opera to digital innovation.
Discovering Places
Discovering Places is part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and launches over Open Weekend, July 23-25.
The project aims to intrigue and surprise people, giving them the opportunity to discover, explore and be inspired by the UK’s hidden gems. These might be historic or contemporary buildings, public spaces or natural places in and around the cities, towns and villages where we live and work.
Discovering Places are looking for events and activities targeting new audiences, perhaps by forming new collaborations with partners, to shine a spotlight on the environment and the fantastic array of things just around the corner from our homes and communities.
Register online with London 2012 Open Weekend and tick the box to be part of the launch of Discovering Places.
To find out more about Discovering Places email c.bull@theheritagealliance.org.uk
Olympic plan to boost UK tourism announced
Culture Secretary announces £1bn marketing campaign fund.
Jeremy Hunt said it must aim to be "the best tourism marketing plan that any Olympics host country has ever had." He added "making sure we have a lasting tourism legacy from hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is one of the most pressing issues for the industry, and a top priority for government too."
Part of the strategy will be to make sure British holidaymakers are encouraged to stay in the UK. The challenge to the tourism sector is to increase the proportion of domestic tourism spend by UK residents to 50%.
The campaign will target Britain's 20 priority markets in the years around 2012.
In recent weeks, Visit Britain launched a new web site to help the industry make the most of the Games.
Smallsteps4life has evolved from a Food Standards Agency commissioned research pilot that explored the impact of a health challenge in primary and secondary schools in Kent.
It will promote and encourage young people, across the UK, to take up achievable challenges across the themes of healthy eating, getting active and feeling good. It will help young people to embrace the excitement of the community and competitive nature of the Olympiad.
Smallsteps4life is the FSA’s spearhead programme for the healthy active lifestyle strand of Get Set, the London 2012 education programme, and has been granted the London 2012 Inspire Mark.
25th Hour for volunteering
A new campaign is calling on communities to come together to encourage volunteering.
The 25th Hour, which has been awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark, will build to create a lasting legacy that will touch all parts of the UK.
The 25th Hour will also celebrate the outstanding contributions of exceptional time givers with a range of rewards, including 2,012 pairs of tickets to a unique ‘money can’t buy’ moment - the chance to see the dress rehearsal of the 2012 Olympic Games’ Opening Ceremony.
Log on to the 25th Hour web site.