Sport Makers: your chance to be a sporting hero
What are Sport Makers?
Sport Makers are, quite simply, people who make sport happen. Some might organise sport informally for themselves and their friends, colleagues or neighbours. Others won't take part themselves, but will do all those things that make sport possible, such as organising a fundraising fun-run for their village with the help of other Sport Makers, creating a multi-sport event or festival for the local community with other people or welcoming new participants at a local sports club, helping them play the game and encouraging them to keep coming back.
How do I become a Sport Maker?
find out more here
11th October 2011
Five-time Olympic Gold medalist, Sir Steve Redgrave, today unveiled a new way for people to become sporting heroes in Cumbria.
Sir Steve, our greatest Olympian, has joined forces with Sport England and Active Cumbria, the Sport and Physical Activity Partnership to launch Sport Makers, a programme for everyone who'd like to make sport happen for their friends, neighbours or colleagues.
Sir Steve said: "You don't need medals to become a sporting hero. By helping people you know to get involved in sport you'll be doing something amazing for your friends and local community as well as having fun yourself.
"The thing I want to see more than anything is more people out enjoying what sport has to offer, but we need your help to make it happen.
"So why not take your first step to becoming a sporting hero and visit sportmakers.co.uk"
Sport Makers aims to inspire 390 people in Cumbria to get involved, with each of them spending at least 10 hours organising or leading sporting activities. It is open to anyone aged 16 and over.
Sport Makers is part of the Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country.
Every Sport Maker will be invited to an informal and interactive workshop where they'll gain the skills and opportunities to get involved in sport in Cumbria. Sport Makers will be introduced to organisations that need their help, and join forces with others who want to make sport happen locally. There'll also be opportunities to meet top athletes and plenty of incentives to stay involved.
Becky Underwood, Development Officer at Active Cumbria said: "Sport Makers is a great opportunity to use the legacy of the games to benefit and inspire individuals across the Cumbria to make sport happen locally. The Inspirational workshops and conventions will really enthuse people to get involved in sport locally whether that is taking their friends to play football or encouraging their colleagues to bikes."
Today's launch was welcomed by the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP. He said:
"The volunteers that help out at local sports clubs up and down the country are the foundations of community sport. The new Sport Makers initiative is a key part of the London 2012 sports legacy and will help community sports clubs across the country get more people playing sport."
Over 50% of adults in England say they'd like to play more sport[1], but many people don't feel they have the time, money or confidence to get involved in a formal setting.
Sport England's Chair, Richard Lewis, said:
"This is a great chance to get involved in making sport happen in Cumbria, whether that's planning the route, finding the pitch or encouraging others to take part.
"So if you think you could help, or have your own ideas for getting others involved in sport, please join in as a Sport Maker and become part of the legacy of the London 2012 Games."
The programme is backed by the British Olympic Association, whose Chair, Lord Moynihan, said: "Sport Makers will help contribute to an active and vibrant grassroots sporting environment, through which opportunities for people of all ages to participate in sport will be expanded. It will reinforce the ideals of the Olympic and Paralympic movement, demonstrating how they are relevant to every level of sport."
You can find more details about the programme in Cumbria including all of the local workshop dates at: www.activecumbria.org/sportmakers
More Information
Sport England is focused on the delivery of a mass participation legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We invest National Lottery and Exchequer funding in organisations and projects that will grow and sustain participation in grassroots sport and create opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport.
Places People Play
Places People Play is a £135 million National Lottery programme being delivered by Sport England, in partnership with the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA) with the backing of The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the London 2012 Inspire mark.
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