We are all familiar with the health benefits of playing sport and the positive impact that volunteering at your local sports club can have on a person’s mental health and wellbeing. A sports club also has the potential to be a force for good within the local community. Opportunities to play sport and breaking down barriers to ensure sports clubs are inclusive are still important. But as we all recover from the biggest crisis in a generation, there is an opportunity for sports clubs to be more than just a club.

Sport England highlight ‘5 big issues’ within their new strategy – Uniting The Movement. A vison to transform lives and communities through sport & physical activity (see link below).

Link: https://www.sportengland.org/why-were-here/uniting-the-movement

As a club, you will already be doing some of this and will have plans to continue doing so. However, we have an opportunity to do so much more through local partnerships and collaboration. Therefore, on behalf of the local NHS and wider partners, I would like to propose a series of collaborations that will address the 5 big issues identified in the Sport England strategy, specifically;
Connecting with communities
Connecting with health and wellbeing

This is an innovative and new approach and we will be testing a concept around sports clubs as community hubs. I understand that an initial launch event has been pencilled in for Thursday 23 September 2021 6pm at KCC. I will be more than happy to present this initiative in more detail then. Initially, I understand that there is interest in;
Defib training & basic life saving
Giving blood
Supporting charities
Health talks – mens health, womens health etc etc

This could be just the start of something very special and I look forward to discussing further on 23 September.

Regards

Steve McCue
Senior Strategic Development Manager
Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland CCGs
Mobile: 07825 657990
Email: steve.mccue@westleicestershireccg.nhs.uk