Published on:
15
May 2015
A showcase of community sport was on show today (Friday 15 May) at Lornshill Community Sport Hub to welcome Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health.
The Minister visited to formally acknowledge the Lornshill Campus as a Community Sport Hub. The showcase event demonstrated the many partnerships which are in place to support participation and performance in sport and physical activity for pupils, clubs and the community.
Community Sport Hubs are a key part of sportscotland's contribution to Legacy 2014, designed to increase the number of people of all ages participating in sport in communities across Scotland. Clackmannanshire Council was successful in their bid to be part of the national Community Sport Hub initiative and introduced the concept at Lornshill Academy with plans to set up hubs based in Alva Academy and then Alloa Academy.
Since the introduction of the Lornshill Campus in January 2013, eleven sports clubs and groups have worked together to build a meaningful partnership which benefits all members rather than only individual clubs. Lornshill Academy has embraced the Community Sport Hub ethos and created a Head of Faculty post for PE, Sport and Physical Activity to develop Curriculum For Excellence, new partnerships and to fully engage with local community, clubs and groups. Over the last two years there has been a significant increase in the number of pupils participating in both extra curricular activity and school teams. This has had a positive impact on club membership, performance levels and quality of coaches.
Jamie Hepburn met with Community Sport Hub members as well as other guests from the SFA, Winning Scotland Foundation, sportscotland and local international athletes.
Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, Jamie Hepburn said: "It is a great pleasure to be able to formally acknowledge Lornshill Campus as a Community Sport Hub. The roll out of Community Sports Hubs is at the heart of the lasting legacy from Glasgow 2014, providing an excellent focus for local communities to engage in a more active and healthy lifestyle. The work of every individual, club and group involved in this hub is testament to the Community Sport Hub ethos and the aspirations of the Scottish Government's 2014 legacy plan."
Clackmannanshire Council Education Convener Cllr Ellen Forson said: " We are delighted to welcome Jamie Hepburn to formally recognise the Lornshill Campus as a Community Sport Hub. We were able to show the Minister the first class sporting facilities available at the Lornshill Campus and to watch over five hundred pre school and primary children take part in a series of sports activities led by sports development, sports leaders, teachers and local community club coaches.
"The excellent facilities on offer at Lornshill offer great opportunities for people of every age throughout Clackmannanshire to take part in physical activities at whatever level suits them. From individuals taking the first steps to become more active to teams competing at higher levels, Lornshill Community Sport Hub is providing those exciting opportunities."
sportscotland Chief Executive Stewart Harris said: "At sportscotland - the national agency for sport - we see a Scotland where sport is a way of life, where sport is at the heart of society and makes a positive impact on people and communities. To achieve this vision we are working with local and national partners to build a world class system for everyone in Scotland.
"To support this vision, sportscotland has invested in, and supported the establishment of over 137 community sport hubs across Scotland. Lornshill Campus Community Sport Hub is a fantastic example of how the hubs concept can increase the numbers of school pupils and community members accessing and enjoying sport. Strong partnerships have made this possible, and that everyone locally is really benefitting."
During Jamie Hepburn's visit he met with members of the Girls Football Academy. This one of a kind programme was developed at Lornshill Academy in partnership with the SFA and driven by Anna Signeul, the manager of the Scottish Womans Football Team. The Girls Football Academy started with nine 1st year girls and has now grown to 52 girls across 1st to 6th year.
Tullibody Community Football Club is a founder member of the Lornshill Campus Community Sport Hub and through this partnership they have expanded their girls section to include girls aged nine to 17. In addition to this the club has created Clackmannanshire's first pan-disability football section and in March 2015 were awarded the SFA Quality Mark Legacy status.
Davey Reynolds, chairman of Tullibody Community Football Club commented: ""It's great to be part of something bigger than just football. We're starting to see the benefits now in terms of facility support and getting to use the grass 7a-side pitch now as well as closer links with the school and their staff. "