Partner Focus

robbie Stewart

Lead Manager, sportscotland

Sport, physical activity and leisure play a critical role in the health and wellbeing of our communities. Never before has this role been more important as we continue to live through the Covid-19 public health emergency. Looking back on 2019/2020 it feels like a lifetime ago. Covid-19 has turned our lives upside down but the shared priorities and actions we signed up to with ANGUSalive and Angus Council in our 2019-2023 Partnership Agreement have continued to guide our work as we support the people of Angus to live active and healthy lives. Sport For Life, sportscotland’s corporate strategy, sets out our vision of an active Scotland where everyone benefits from sport. Our partnership with ANGUSalive ensures that we bring this vision to life for the people of Angus, especially for those who need the most support to access sport and physical activity opportunities. Our joint commitment to inclusion underpins everything we do. We work closely with ANGUSalive across a number of joint areas as well as directly investing into the development of Community Sport Hubs. It has been great to see Angus Community Sport Hubs continue to grow and thrive. There are now six hubs located across Angus with a range of local sports clubs contributing more than ever to their local communities. Club development is an important shared priority. As a key member of the Tayside & Fife Regional Sporting Partnership, ANGUSalive also work closely with National Governing Bodies of Sport to shape and improve club and community sport both locally and regionally. Another important shared outcome has been the development of a new Sport and Physical Activity Strategy for Angus. Colleagues from ANGUSalive, Angus Council, NHS Tayside and sportscotland have worked collaboratively to create a strategy that builds on the great work already in place while setting out a shared vision and ambition for the future.

As part of the ANGUSalive organisational review it was a pleasure to support the recruitment of a number key roles which will ensure the priorities we have all signed up to can be achieved. Across the calendar year, there were a range of opportunities for ANGUSalive to contribute towards national themes and campaigns. Active Girls Day, the culmination of Women and Girls in Sport Week in October, saw the coming together of Angus Active Schools and Angus Community Sport Hubs to celebrate female participation in sport and provide a range of well attended sessions getting local girls active. A fantastic effort by all involved! 2019/20 was a hugely successful year for our partnership and one that I have no doubt we will equal and better when we move through and out of the current Covid-19 related restrictions.