Sport and physical activity is vital if we are to be healthier as a nation. Furthermore, if we are to be competitive as a nation in elite sports competitions we must invest in sports for children from a young age. With these key issues in mind, Policy Knowledge is delighted to proud to present our Creating an Active Nation policy briefing, a forum for discussion and debate on the key issues facing us as a nation in regard to sports provision and the importance of physical activity.
This briefing will cover key issues including:
- Creating active communities through sport
- The positive impact of sport and physical activity on social inclusion
- The importance of competitive sports on our reputation as a nation and economic growth
- Reducing the risk of major illness through uptake of sport or physical activity
- Supporting Disabled People in Sport
- The importance of school and community sport to change attitudes of future generations towards sport and physical activity
- Creating equal opportunities in elite sports for women and girls
- The future policy challenges in sport provision
Speakers:
Andy Reed OBE - Chair, Sport and Recreation Alliance
Andy is the chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance. With a very strong background in the sector he served arguably the UK’s sportiest constituency – Loughborough – with distinction for 13 years. As an MP he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Kate Hoey while she was Sports Minister and also introduced the 10 Minute Rule Bill for Community Amateur Sports Club legislation as well as chairing various sports committees in parliament – including the CCPRs own Sports Caucus. Now director of his own company, he leads his local county sports partnership, is chair of the voice of sports volunteers (SSPV) and of the BBL Foundation, as well as a board member of Special Olympics GB and Sports Chaplaincy UK. He also sits on the board of International Aid agency World Vision UK. Andy continues to turn out for his beloved Birstall Rugby Club where he has played for the last 25 years. He was awarded the OBE in 2012 for services to sport and the community.
Simon Shepard - CEO, Optima Life
Simon is a Chartered Physiotherapist by training, who has worked in professional sport since 1991.
In 2008 Simon co-founded Optima-life, a company that specialises in technology and services for optimising health and performance in work, sport and everyday life. With a mission to provide a symbiotic learning culture between the sporting, corporate and health worlds, Optima-life has built up a significant client base ranging from international and professional sports teams and individuals; UK based blue chip companies and leading organisations and individuals within the private and NHS healthcare sectors. In 2011 Optima-life won a Medilink Award for Innovation.
He is an executive board member at Middlesex CCC and is a leading contributor to The NHS 2012 Sport and Physical Activity challenge that is looking to positively impact the health and wellbeing of the largest workforce in the U.K.
Patrick Hopkins - Ignite Programme Manager, Access Sport
Patrick Hopkins runs the Ignite Programme at Access Sport. Founded in 2004 Access Sport is a dynamic charity whose mission is to give more children, particularly in disadvantaged areas, access to a wide range of quality local sport. They harness the proven power of sport to tackle social exclusion, inactivity and obesity in areas where help is most needed. They achieve this through empowering the inspirational community volunteers who set up and run local sports clubs with cash, expert advice and networking to help create thriving clubs which get more people positively engaged. The Ignite Programme is an innovative programme working with community sports clubs in disadvantaged areas to support them in proactively engaging more young disabled people into sport. Clubs that are part of the programme have won numerous awards since its inception two years ago, including the EFDS Nationwide Star Club Award, England Hockey Club of the Season and the Proactive London Inclusive Champion Award two years running. Patrick has been working for Access Sport for the past two and a half years. He studied BSc Economics and MSc Entrepreneurship at the University of Nottingham and was a director of UNU Services Ltd. A lifelong Charlton fan, he has a passion for football and athletics which he plays and coaches regularly.