๐ฃ ConnectSport Weekly Digest ๐๐
Local club aims to help Kabbadi World Cup legacy; Place-based funding announced; Bristol Sport supports suicide prevention work, and Brentford FC incentivises fans to take the train. Plus lots more!
๐๐พ Welcome to ConnectSportโs new weekly digest on Substack. Each week you can read news, features and innovation from the UK's sport for development sector, and beyond. This edition covers the week ending 8th November 2024.
๐คผ BUILDING A LEGACY: This week we spoke to Ranjit Singh (pictured below) who is aiming to use his role as Head Coach of Wolverhampton Wrestling Club to help build a tangible legacy for the Kabbadi World Cup to be held in the West Midlands next March. Read more here on the clubโs work within the local community and schools. #SDG10
โ๏ธ SUSTAINABLE CITIES & COMMUNITIES: Just down the road in Birmingham, sport for development charity StreetGames was joined by over 100 locally-trusted organisations and partners to discuss and plan how they can collectively build on the cityโs community sport and physical activity offer. Read a summary of the event from Area Director Jenny Carter. #SDG11
โฎ Also emerging from the West Midlands this week was an interesting perspective on what last weekโs Budget meant for a regional sport for development organisation from Sport 4 Life CEO Tom Clarke-Forrest.
๐ฏ PLACE-BASED SPORT: Sport England announced it would be investing ยฃ25million in its โPlace Universal Offerโ to support different parts of the physical activity sector to work together. โEveryone in society has the right to take part in, and enjoy, playing sport and being active. Yet we know that not everyone has an equal chance to participate,โ said CEO Tim Hollingsworth. Read the full announcement here. #SDG11
โฝ DISABILITY SPORT: The English Football Association (FA) has announced its disability football strategy for 2024-28/. The long-term plan focuses on seven key pillars, ranging from participation to partnerships. #SDG10
๐ฃ๏ธ In โlocalโ news this weekโฆ
๐๐ฝ SUICIDE PREVENTION: Bristol Sportโs clubs and foundations have partnered with a pioneering suicide prevention charityย that provides immediate support to people searching online for harmful content relating to the topic of suicide and self-harm. Read more here. #SDG3
๐ INCLUSION: In Manchester, young people from under-represented communities led the conversation on making sports more inclusive at GM Movingโs event, using the Lundy model for meaningful youth participation. #SDG10
๐ง CLEAN WATER & SANITATION: Members of the Clean Water Sports Alliance joined the โMarch for Clean Waterโ in central London last Sunday. Olympic champion Dr Imogen Grant said: โRowers, runners, anglers, surfers, swimmers, paddlers - every single one of us benefits from the rivers that are foundations of our community. This march is the start of a new momentum - we need to call on this government to do better, and that starts today.โ Read more. #SDG6
๐ SPORT & HEALTH: This week marked Occupational Therapy Week and this article from CIMSPA highlighted the work of one of its employer partners Sport for Confidence at Basildon Sporting Village. Read more. #SDG3
๐ PARTICIPATION: The Mayor of London is spearheading a new taskforce to grow the game of basketball in the capital, and create positive opportunities for young people across London. #SDG11
๐ COMMUNITY: The community foundation of Hibernian Football Club in Edinburgh has teamed up with the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society to provide food and warmth for those who go without in Leith and the surrounding community. Read more. #SDG1
๐ฉ๐ฝโโ๏ธ HEALTH & WELLBEING: In a blog published by uk active this week Beth Brown,ย Operations Manager at the National Centre Sport & Exercise Medicine in Sheffield,ย discussed her research into physical activity for cancer care and how the physical activity sector can take and implement insights within their operations. Read the blog. #SDG3
๐ CLIMATE ACTION: Brentford Football Club has teamed up with Trainline to incentivise supporters to travel by train to away matches and reduce their carbon footprint. #SDG13
๐ MENTAL HEALTH: Brazilian World Cup winners Roberto Carlos and Gilberto Silva Play will play in a match at Lewes FCย on November 17 to raise funds for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably). #SDG3
๐คฐ๐ฝ Research published this week revealed that doing more than an hour of moderate intensity exercise each week may reduce the severity of โbaby bluesโ and almost halve the risk of new mothers developing major clinical depression. Read more in the Guardian. #SDG3
In international newsโฆ
โฝ SUSTAINABILITY: UEFA has revealed its ESG (environmental, social, governance) report for the menโs Euro 2024 championships. The UEFA president Aleksander ฤeferin promised this will โpave the way for a more thoughtful and responsible approach to future sporting eventsโ. #SDG12
๐บ๏ธ Also on the global stage, the United Nations has published a report from its secretary-general on sportโs contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (#SDGs).
โฎ In Cairo, sport was highlighted as a tool to increase collaboration in sustainable development during the World Urban Forum. Ollie Dudfield, Associate Director for the International Olympic Committeeโs Olympism 365 initiative and former Executive Director for the UK-based Sport for Development Coalition, led a panel session featuring representatives from governments, financial institutions and civil society on โAdvancing the Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals through Sportโ.
๐ฑ TRAINING: Want to find out more about carbon literacy for grassroots football? Save Today Play Tomorrow is offering a two-day course aimed at the community game, which helpfully takes place each evening on November 18th and 19th. Book your place. #SDG13
๐ AWARDS: Youth Sport Trust is calling for nominations for its 2025 awards which celebrate schools, settings, trusts and individuals who,ย working alongside the charity over the past year, have made a real and impactful change to the lives of young people.
๐๐ฝโโ๏ธโโก๏ธ FUNDING: Applications are open for theย Movement for Change programme which aims to support social entrepreneurs who are helping to unlock the advantages of sport and physical activity for the most marginalised communities.ย Grants of up to ยฃ18,000 are available alongside tailored support to develop key business and leadership skills. Register for an information session to find out more. #SDG11
The last wordโฆ.
๐๐ฝ Thank you for reading our weekly Substack round-up of news from across the UKโs sport for development sector, and beyond. As former national journalists and media executives, at ConnectSport we are passionate about the potential of sport and physical activity to generate targeted environmental, social and economic outcomes. Please follow and shareโฆ
Read more at connectsport.co.uk and contact us at hello@connectsport.co.uk