Active Cumbria Partnership Board

Active Cumbria, the Sport and Physical Activity Partnership, one of 49 County Sports Partnerships across England has appointed a new Partnership Board to help drive forward the sport and physical activity agenda across the county. In the run up to the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games the Board will seek to raise the profile of the sector across the county and help communities across Cumbria realise a true legacy of the Games.

Many networks and sectors are represented on the newly appointed Board with members being tasked with advocating the hugely beneficial role Sport and Physical Activity can play in the local community;

I hope that the Board, by bringing together influential representatives from key partner organizations, can advocate and influence the many benefits that sport and physical activity can bring to the communities of Cumbria.

As an Officer of the Core Team, I am looking forward to working with the Board to help drive forward the sport and physical activity sector in the county.

As a young lad, represented North of England at gymnastics, and as a not so young lad played football at district and county level.

I have kept my love of football and have only just hung up my boots after playing for 22 years in local amateur football.

As an Officer of Active Cumbria, I want to ensure that the Partnership Board members are provided with as much support and advice to help them to effectively direct and advocate for the Active Cumbria Team and the sport and physical activity sector for Cumbria.

We are fortunate in Cumbria to have a fantastic local delivery network.  However, I am keen that through our new Partnership Board we can ensure that this network is engaged in any new emerging opportunities and is fully maximised realising the potential that sport and physical activity can bring to our communities.

Sport has been a passion of mine for all of my living years.  My grandparents were both great golfers, my father played rugby for Northumberland and I too gained county, regional and national honours for hockey - sport is definitely in my blood!

I can verify first hand the physical and social benefits that sport can bring, but I can also confirm that it is sport that has helped to form the person that I am today!

I hope to provide a two way conduit between the NGB's of Sport represented in the County and the Active Cumbria Partnership Board, ensuring  that the population of Cumbria get the best opportunities in sport and physical activity.

Captaining Lancashire Schools Cricket Association North Lancashire under 16 cricket team at Old Trafford representing  Lancashire Schools 4 times before captaining the North of England under 16's Schools Association team on 2 occasions one of them at  Trent Bridges Nottingham.

I hope to bring the skills, opportunities and partnerships available through higher education closer to the sport and active leisure communities across Cumbria.

The University of Cumbria is 'for' and 'of' Cumbria and seeks to play a key role in helping the people of Cumbria achieve their academic, sporting and lifestyle aspirations.

For over 20 years, I played semi-professional football and cricket across the North of England and have many happy memories of people, places and matches, including a particularly bracing Saturday afternoon on the subs-bench at Barrow FC.

Alongside my 'day job' at the University, I'm now involved in a coach education consultancy role with the Football Association and am a FA/UEFA 'A' License Coach.

I am keen to raise awareness amongst a broad range of stakeholders of the impact that the provision of, and participation in, all types of  physical activity can have on a wide range of outcomes, especially in relation to health, aspiration, ambition and attainment  and the economy.

I want to identify any areas that Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service can support the Partnership and opportunities for involvement where appropriate.

My main personnel sporting achievements are:-

• Awarded Black Belt in Karate
• Awarded Black Belt in Jujitsu
• Completed London and New York Marathons
• Completed Ironman distance Triathlon

Being a member of the board allows me to work with a number of colleagues from across the County who have similar aims and objectives for young people around PE & School Sport. Working collaboratively will encourage the best possible outcomes for the young people of Cumbria and ensure that PE & School Sport is well placed amongst the wider sport and physical activity agenda.

Many people won't know that I was a Junior World BMX Racing Champion - Thankfully that was many years ago as I would stand no chance against the amazing Shanaze Reid.