En Route to Rio

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Medway Sporting Legacy 11

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Contents Welcome ..........................................................3 Medway Festival of Sport ..............................4 Mass participation events ..............................6 Major sports events ........................................8 Medway Park....................................................9 On Your Marks ..............................................10 An Active Medway ........................................14 Medway Sporting Academy..........................15 Road to Rio schools programme ................15 Disability sport ..............................................16 Clubmark and Medway’s sports clubs ........17 School sport ..................................................18 Medway sporting ambassadors ..................20 Coach development ......................................21 Further and higher education and sport......22 Medway’s sports centres ..............................24 Capstone Country Park ................................26 The River Medway ........................................26 Cycling and the green grid............................27 Outdoor fitness ..............................................28 The wider picture ..........................................30

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Welcome Welcome to En Route to Rio - Medway's ambitious and extensive strategy for the future of sport in Medway.

As leader of Medway Council, I am determined to create every possible opportunity for our young people in particular to shine and be the best that they can. Medway’s strategy sets out how we will continue to use sport to help achieve this ambition.

Our ongoing investment in sport and healthy lifestyle programmes, coupled with facility improvement, demonstrates our committment to delivering a lasting legacy far beyond London 2012, not just for young people but for the whole Medway community.

Medway's wide-ranging offer is the envy of many, and I would urge everybody to make the most of every opportunity to enjoy more active, healthier lives.

Cllr Rodney Chambers OBE Leader, Medway Council The outstanding success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has, rightly, turned the spotlight on delivery of the much-mentioned sporting legacy.

It was on this legacy that London bid successfully to host the Games.

Medway has long had the legacy in mind and in planning for maximising the benefits of the Games established a number of programmes designed to provide opportunities in the years following 2012.

The development of Medway Park, our ÂŁ11m regional centre of sporting excellence, is just one example of how the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been used to provide long-lasting benefits to the people of Medway.

Further galvanised by what was the greatest ever Olympic and Paralympic Games, we have invested in new programmes to offer yet more opportunities to our residents, with particular emphasis on the London 2012 message of inspiring a generation and promoting healthy lifestyles.

The following pages identify initiatives that are putting Medway at the forefront of sporting legacy delivery. Our plan combines the development of sporting facilities with a range of participation programmes, to inspire people of all ages to get physically active; and to provide a structured pathway for talented young sportspeople to develop and succeed.

The wonders of London 2012 may have passed, but our eyes are now firmly fixed on the road to Rio 2016.

Cllr Howard Doe Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Services, Medway Council

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Medway Festival of Sport The Medway Festival of Sport is our annual sporting extravaganza celebrating Medway’s sporting offer.

Since its launch in 2010, the summer festival has grown hugely in size and stature.

The 2013 programme featured 50 events in 70 days and involved some 12,000 people.

The aim of the festival is to showcase sporting excellence, increase participation in sport, promote healthy lifestyles and inspire the whole community to get involved with sport in Medway.

The annual programme offers a wide range of opportunities to play, compete and spectate.

For schools, the festival marks the culmination of the Mini Youth Games series, with the staging of the Night of Champions finals and the crowning of the overall Mini Youth Games champions for the year.

Medway’s sports centres and leading sports clubs play their part by hosting free open days, taster sessions and community tournaments, shining a light on the myriad opportunities available to get fit and play sport in Medway.

There is also a focus on promoting disability sport, with the programme including a disability sports club taster day and the annual Disability Youth Summer Games.

The 2013 festival featured a number of other big signature events, including the inaugural Medway 10km race, the River Festival, London Broncos SuperLeague match and rugby league stampede weekend and the festival’s grand finale - the Medway Mile.

The Festival of Sport also helps attract major sports events to Medway.

The 2013 programme featured both the national Bribar Table Tennis Grand Prix and the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup, both hosted at the Medway Park centre of sporting excellence.

Festival of Sport 2013 • 12,000 participants and spectators; • more than 100 volunteers; • 50 events; • 70 days; • international and national sporting events; • mass participation events; • community sports events; • inter-school competitions.

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Mass participation events The Medway Mile was Medway's signature countdown event to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Due to the huge success of this community event, Medway Sport is committed to continuing the event as a fantastic legacy of the Games. And we haven’t stopped there.

New mass participation events in swimming and cycling are also being launched to build on the event’s popularity and further support the sporting legacy.

Medway Mile The Medway Mile is the largest mass participation sports event staged in Medway.

Initially established in 2007 to mark the countdown to the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, the Mile has become hugely successful and a landmark event on Medway’s calendar.

In the first year, approximately 500 people took part in the Mile. In 2012 that number had grown to a capacity of 3,000 runners, joggers and walkers coming together to celebrate and promote active and healthy lifestyles and celebrate the start of the Olympic Games.

The one-mile route around historic Rochester weaves through the High Street, the Vines and the Cathedral grounds before ending within the grounds of Rochester Castle.

The event includes activities and entertainment, children's races, a mascot race, competitive adult race, a mass participation warm up and the mass Medway Mile.

The annual event – which is free to enter - now marks the grand finale of the Festival of Sport and is held on the final Friday of July.

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The Medway Big Splash The Medway Big Splash is a new mass participation event based around watersports, aquatics and water-based activity sessions as well as a mass community swim challenge.

The weekend-long event will be staged for the first time in January 2014 across Medway’s sports centres.

The Saturday will see the mass participation fun-day filled with activities, team sessions, tasters, workouts and family fun. Sports on offer will include diving, synchronised swimming, lifesaving, aquafit and sub aqua. The evening will culminate in a Family Splash session.

On Sunday, we want to see how far Medway can swim in one day. The Medway Swim Challenge will see the public coming together to amass lengths throughout the day.

All participants will receive a free Big Splash souvenir t-shirt.

As part of the build up, and to ensure a legacy of the Big Splash, a 12-week community swimming lesson programme will be held across Medway for non-swimmers, with participants challenged to swim a length as part of the event weekend.

The Medway Big Ride The Medway Big Ride is a new mass participation programme to encourage the people of Medway to get on their bikes.

It will feature a host of cycling initiatives culminating in a weekend-long event to launch the Medway Festival of Sport in May 2014, offering a unique opportunity to enjoy a wealth of cycling entertainment.

The Big Ride weekend will embrace all forms of cycling. Activities at the main event in the Great Lines Heritage Park will include mass rides; cycle training and lessons; displays and stunt shows; races, have-a-go arenas; and exhibitions by clubs, national governing bodies and cycling organisations.

There will also be a sportive for more enthusiastic riders and a new Cycle Medway event.

The Big Ride, like the Big Splash and the Medway Mile, is free and open to participants of all ages and abilities.

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Major sports events Medway Park has developed a reputation as a high-quality venue for international sporting events.

A wide range of elite sporting competitions have already been attracted to the top-class facilities which make up Medway’s new-look centre of sporting excellence.

The Modern Pentathlon World Cup in April 2010 was the first global sporting event to be hosted in Medway. Our commitment to promoting and staging the event, coupled with our wider legacy development of the sport, secured us the international award for the bestpromoted pentathlon event of the year. Medway was subsequently chosen to host the 2011 Modern Pentathlon European Championships - an official Olympic qualification event.

In 2012, Medway hosted pre-Games training camps for the London 2012 Olympics as well as the British Transplant Games – a four-day competition featuring 600 competitors from across the UK. Medway continued its sporting year of celebration by staging the first ever disability sport international at Medway Park, when world champions England played host to great rivals France in wheelchair rugby league.

The event attracted a record crowd and led to Medway Park being chosen as the host venue for the 2013 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup. With Medway Park having also hosted major sporting events in basketball, boxing, judo, table tennis, badminton, swimming and fencing, Medway is well respected as a venue of choice for many sports.

The continued attraction of major sports events to Medway is a key aspect of Medway’s sporting legacy. As well as attracting tourism and boosting the economy, these events provide inspiration to Medway’s young people – the opportunity to run on the same track, to swim in the same pool, to compete in the same sports hall as a world or Olympic champion.

Thanks to everyone involved in the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup for all their help to make it the most organised and professional tournament I have ever been involved with."

Australian Wheelchair Rugby League Team

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Medway Park Medway Park is Medway’s flagship £11m centre of sporting excellence. The creation of Medway Park has been pivotal to the long-term development of sport in Medway, beyond the 2012 Games, creating a centre of sporting excellence with the needs of the community at its heart.

The project saw the transformation of the former Black Lion Leisure Centre in Gillingham and the creation of new world-class facilities which opened in 2010.

The facilities include: • new 12-court multi-sports hall; • new eight-lane athletics track; • dedicated judo centre; • 100-station health and fitness and free-weights suite; • dedicated health and fitness suite for junior athletes; • University of Kent Sports Science and Therapy Centre; • upgraded swimming and changing room facilities; • fully-integrated disabled access and changing rooms; • conference room with interactive white board; • cafeteria and bar area.

The result is an inspiring environment where members of the local community can use the top-class sporting facilities and rub shoulders with national and international athletes competing and training.

The benefits are enjoyed by Medway's aspiring athletes, progressive clubs, developing coaches, and those simply wanting to enjoy a more healthy, active lifestyle. User numbers at Medway Park have grown continuously since the investment in the facilities.

Monthly visitor figures for June 2013 showed an increase of 29 per cent compared to the same month the previous year.

Medway Park was a joint venture between Medway Council, central government, Sport England and the University of Kent, which has a state-of-the-art sports science and therapy centre on site. Medway Council is working with partners to identify more ways to build on the success of the Medway Park project and continue to invest in maintaining and improving the quality facilities on offer.

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On Your Marks... is Medway Sport's legacy programme designed to break down barriers and support community participation in sport. From teenagers to pensioners and everyone in between, our aim is to provide the people of Medway with a helping hand to start getting fit and active.

The programme helps meet the target set by Sport England for new sports participants to complete at least 30-minutes of exercise per week. Below is an overview of some of our innovative new projects and target groups.

On Your Marks…at Medway Park New for 2013, this is a low-intensity pay-as-you-go programme specifically for newcomers and those returning to exercise.

The programme offers 36 weekly classes and 22 different workouts, all tailored to those nervous about taking that first fitness step.

All classes are entry-level and range from bokwa African dance, Urban DanceFit classes and Powerhoop to kettlebells, circuits and spinning.

There are also outdoor SoccerFit, RugbyFit and GymFit classes, as well as senior spin and tai chi sessions.

The adult-only classes last around 45 minutes and take place in the On Your Marks studio or on the infield of the track at Medway Park. They are run by hand-picked, fully-qualified instructors and all equipment is provided.

Medway Sport will build on the success of this initial programme by rolling out similar entry-level classes across Medway’s other sports centres.

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Community Clubs and Hubs For some, travelling to a sports centre to exercise simply doesn’t appeal. The On Your Marks… programme is therefore creating opportunities for adults to exercise in nontraditional facilities.

We are also supporting community groups to set up new clubs by offering equipment, advice and support.

Community hubs, parish halls and community centres are all potential venues for activity.

We are working with groups to identify these venues and launching new sessions for those who prefer to get fit and active in more informal settings.

A particular focus is also being placed on engaging with Medway’s diverse ethnic community, helping to overcome any barriers - perceived or real - that prevent them from engaging in regular exercise.

As a result of this work, a new community badminton club, including a ladies-only session, has been launched in partnership with the Medway Ethnic Minority Forum.

Families On Your Marks…

This project focuses on creating opportunities for families to exercise regularly together.

Families On Your Marks… is a programme of free drop-in days at Medway Park for families with children aged six to 11-years-old.

The sessions are held on weekends, with activities on offer including badminton, table tennis, athletics, dance and aerobics classes, and swimming.

Qualified coaches are on hand to get the activities up and running and show the parents and their children the basics. No booking is required and equipment is provided.

The ambition is to roll out the programme across Medway’s other sports centres.

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Mums’ Clubs The On Your Marks… programme is committed to helping mums find the time, energy and inclination to keep fit and active.

It might be new mums struggling to find the time or energy to shift their baby weight; busy mums juggling work, school runs, housework and relaxation; or mums-to-be keen to keep active through their pregnancy.

The new fitness programme at Medway Park offers low-intensity classes that appeal to women. We are also developing plans to take exercise classes to the mums - be it through children’s centres where childcare facilities are available, schools or other community hubs and open spaces.

We are also seeking to promote and enhance opportunities for mums to exercise with their babies.

Seniors and Medway Masters It is widely acknowledged in government policy that light exercise is one of the simple measures to help older people live better, healthier lives.

As part of the On Your Marks… programme, Medway Sport is working with sports centres and clubs to encourage the development of masters and seniors programmes.

The over 60s already benefit from free swimming and discounted gym membership rates at Medway’s sports centres. There is also a thriving over-60s sports programme of badminton, table tennis, short tennis, short-mat bowls and aerobics at Medway Park and Strood Sports Centre.

We are working to enhance and promote this offer further, including the addition of fitness classes in spin and tai chi tailored to the senior market.

The Medway Masters programme involves the staging of community tournaments to encourage physical activity amongst the over 35s.

We are also working with Medway’s network of sports clubs to encourage the creation and development of masters’ sections and teams.

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16-25s Medway Sport is committed to creating opportunities to encourage sport and physical activity amongst this notoriously hard-to-reach age group.

The transition from full-time school into further education or the world of work is often accompanied by a reduction in activity levels as other pressures and interests take priority.

The On Your Marks fitness programme at Medway Park is designed to offer sessions that appeal to this younger demographic.

We are also working closely with Medway’s colleges and universities to promote all of the sporting opportunities available across Medway.

As part of our commitment, we will be seeking to deliver projects as part of Sport England’s Sportivate campaign.

Sportivate is a £56m lottery programme that gives 14 to 25-year-olds access to six-week courses in a range of sports. It is aimed at young people who do no or little sport in their own time.

Let’s Dance Dance is a proven vehicle for encouraging women and teenaged girls in particular to get active.

It is also a great way to tone up and improve fitness, muscle strength, coordination and balance.

Dance fitness classes are a key element of the On Your Marks…fitness programme already launched at Medway Park. The timetable includes exercise sessions based on bokwa African dance, street dance, ballet and mixed dance styles.

We are also mapping, supporting and promoting the existing dance provision in Medway, while identifying innovative new locations to run sessions in community hubs and local settings.

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A Better Medway The Medway Public Health Team also plays a key role in encouraging the people of Medway to be more physically active.

The following programmes all form part of the public health improvement campaign, A Better Medway.

Active Medway – The Public Health Team’s accredited exercise sessions ranging from zumba and pilates to tai chi and boot camps. These are provided by both community groups and individual providers and are all listed on the Better Medway website. All providers have been assessed for insurance, qualifications, Clubmark status and customer service.

Exercise Referral – This 12-week programme supports people with long-term health conditions to get active. Delivered across Medway Council’s sports centres, it allows participants to experience the positive effects physical activity can have on fitness levels, mental well-being and overall quality of life. Referrals are accepted from a wide range of health professionals.

Medway Health Walks – Short and social group walks to help people get the most out of walking for their physical and mental health. The groups are friendly and supportive, so are great for people currently doing little or no exercise, recovering from illness or lacking in confidence. All walks are free, led by trained volunteer walk leaders, and graded to offer a variety of durations and distances.

Active Medway Cycling Groups – Supporting adults to get fitter and more confident on their bike with free, guided cycling sessions for adults. Groups take place across Medway at various times of the day, so they can enjoy cycling when it is convenient for them, whatever their ability. All they need is a roadworthy bike and basic safety equipment. All rides are led by trained ride leaders, who volunteer their time to show people the benefits of cycling.

MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it!) – The Health Improvement Service has a number of projects that are specifically tasked with supporting children and young people to achieve a healthy weight for their age. Physical activity is one of the key objectives set for participating families.

For more information visit www.abettermedway.co.uk

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Medway Sporting Academy The Medway Sporting Academy identifies and nurtures Medway’s most talented young sportspeople. Aimed primarily at children aged between 10 and 13-years-old, the academy provides a structured environment to develop the core skills and knowledge of our future sporting stars.

Around 80 students are selected each year at a rigorous testing day. They then attend regular intensive coaching sessions working on areas such as hand-eye co-ordination, agility, balance, flexibility and nutrition - all complementing the coaching they get in their chosen sports through local clubs.

Thanks to support from Questor Insurance, academy athletes are also invited to sportspecific camps, where national governing bodies can identify athletes who show potential in their particular sports.

When athletes graduate from the academy coaching structure and progress in their sports, they continue to receive support from Medway Sport. This includes access to funding and workshops, discounted sports therapy through the University of Kent’s SportsReady clinic, and Medway Park gym membership.

Medway Road To Rio Schools Programme The Medway sporting legacy education plans recognise that not every student is keen to participate in sport. The Road To Rio Schools Programme is devised to benefit all primary school children.

The cross curriculum project uses sport - and specifically the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games - to develop educational opportunities for pupils. The programme has been developed in conjunction with Medway’s education advisors and primary school headteachers and will focus particularly on sport, maths and cultural links.

An initial 15 primary schools have signed up for the pilot year of the project, starting in September 2013. The programme will be rolled out to further schools over the years leading up to the Rio 2016 Games.

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Disability sport A huge amount of work has been undertaken to develop disability sport in Medway.

A number of new clubs have been established, London 2012 Paralympians have trained at Medway Park, and the centre for sporting excellence has hosted national and international competitions.

The primary focus has been on creating opportunities for young people, with the Disability Youth Games providing friendly sporting competition in a structured environment. The games take place throughout the academic year, with free coaching offered prior to participation. Sports offered include skiing, swimming, archery, athletics, boccia, goalball, cricket, new-age curling, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby league The games are supported by the development of new disability sports clubs in partnership with Medway Council.

More than 100 members have already joined clubs established in athletics, boccia, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby league, goalball and powerchair football.

The second annual Disability Sports Taster Day - designed to encourage membership of our disability sports clubs - was held during the 2013 Medway Festival of Sport.

This activity is complemented by the hosting of major disability sports events at Medway Park, including the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup and the Wheelchair Rugby Super Sixes national competition.

“Medway has always taken disability sport seriously, probably better than any other part of the UK in terms of investment in venues and events.”

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, 11-time Paralympic Champion

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Clubmark and Medway’s sports clubs Medway can boast more than 500 clubs in a range of sports recognised by Sport England.

It is also proud to have one of the highest number of Clubmark-accredited clubs in the south east.

Medway’s clubs all play a key role in delivering a sporting legacy, providing opportunities for children and adults alike to get active and succeed in their chosen sports.

Medway Council operates an online club directory at www.medway.gov.uk/medwaysport to promote this vast network of clubs to the public.

It is also committed to driving up standards by offering support to clubs wanting to achieve Clubmark accreditation – the gold standard for quality sports provision for young people.

No fewer than 32 clubs have already been awarded Clubmark status by Sport England, their national governing body or the County Sports Partnership. This confirms that they are complying with strict operating standards in key areas including club management, equality and ethics, duty of care and child protection, and participation.

Medway Council works closely with its Clubmark clubs to deliver school and community sports events and programmes and offering priority access to available funding.

Medway Community Sport Network Medway’s Clubmark clubs come together with other key organisations to form Medway’s Community Sports Network.

This independent steering group takes a leading role in promoting and developing sporting opportunities in Medway, working alongside the council.

Its core objectives include actively promoting the development of Medway’s Clubmark clubs, increasing the retention of members, coaches and volunteers, and developing links between key local sporting organisations.

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School sport Mini Youth Games The Medway Mini Youth Games (MYG) is Medway Sport’s flagship inter-schools sports programme.

It provides thousands of Medway primary school pupils with the opportunity to experience the thrill of friendly, competitive sport, to learn new skills and develop a sense of fair play.

Over the course of the academic year, primary schools compete against each other in a range of sports, including: • hockey • rugby • badminton • basketball • swimming • table tennis • netball • football • cricket • athletics The Mini Youth Games are aimed primarily at Years 5 and 6 pupils, with most events operating in a league format to decide the overall winners.

Prizes are awarded at each event and points are gained towards the overall MYG title.

A fair play trophy is awarded at each event, and there is an annual participation prize for the school that selects the largest number of children to take part in MYG events.

The top eight schools from each event also qualify to take part in the Night of Champions competition, which forms part of the summer Festival of Sport.

Pre-event coaching is an important part of the MYG programme and also a way of introducing many children to the skills of a new sport. A teacher, a parent or a visiting qualified coach delivers this, supported by Medway Sport. Assistance is also given to schools wanting to set up after-school clubs.

Mini Youth Games events are always linked to local sports clubs, creating pathways for children to continue to develop their interest in a particular sport.

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Mini Youth Sports Camps In the wake of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Medway Sport has launched a new programme of Mini Youth Sports Camps for eight to 11-year-olds.

The three-day camps run during school holidays, offering quality coaching in sports including athletics, football, cricket, rugby league, netball, basketball, team building and more.

Sport partnerships Medway has two sports partnerships that play a key role in delivering sport in schools.

The partnerships – based out of the Howard and Greenacre Schools – are collections of schools working together in families to share resources, facilities, teaching and coaching expertise and an infrastructure of staff.

The partnerships offer packages of support to primary schools, including: • after-school sports club support; • intra and inter-school competitions; • teacher training; • talent identification; • curriculum and other general support; • holiday clubs.

The partnerships also deliver the Medway Secondary School Games, which feed into the Kent School Games programme.

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Medway Sporting Ambassadors Medway has long recognised the importance of volunteers in sport, and local sporting ambassadors have played a vital role in the delivery, organisation and administration of a wide range of different projects hosted in Medway.

More than 120 volunteers – aged between 16 and 74 years - are now signed up to the Sporting Ambassadors programme.

Delivering our many legacy projects is further increasing opportunities for the sporting ambassadors.

More than 50 volunteers supported the successful staging of the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in July 2013, while scores more ensured the successful delivery of other events as part of the Medway Festival of Sport.

As part of their development and ongoing commitment to supporting sport in Medway, we have put together a programme that offers the opportunity for all our ambassadors to complete training as part of the Medway Sports Coaches programme.

After completing 10 hours of volunteering, they can also access grants to help them complete sport-specific coaching qualifications through national governing bodies.

“Thank you to you and all your team for putting on an amazing world cup event. I've been completely blown away by the quality and enthusiasm of you and your team of staff and volunteers.”

Dan Steel, National Clubs Manager, Rugby Football League

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Coach development In Medway, we are developing a raft of initiatives to encourage participation across all abilities among both adults and children.

We also have more than 500 sports clubs, many of which we are actively working with to increase participation. But to do so, we need the coaches and volunteers to support growth.

The Medway Sports Coaches programme creates a pathway for developing the skills and attributes of our coaches.

An introductory module provides would-be coaches with a general overview of the core skills needed to become a coach. This will be offered to volunteers as part of the Medway Sporting Ambassadors programme.

Sport-specific coaching courses linked to national governing bodies then allow aspiring coaches to become qualified in a sport of their choice.

There are also general coach development modules available to new and existing coaches, covering core subjects ranging from psychology to nutrition and basic physiology, as well as key skills such as first aid, safeguarding and child protection.

The Medway Sports Coaches programme works in partnership with Medway’s sports clubs to create and identify opportunities for coach placements and continued coach development.

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Further and higher education and sport Sport and its link to further education is an important element of Medway’s sporting offer, and the legacy from the creation of Medway Park.

Medway Council and its partners are striving to make Medway synonymous with quality opportunities for forging a career in sport.

University of Kent The University of Kent (UoK) has established its Medway campus as a leading place for the study of sport and exercise, not just in the UK but around the world.

The opportunities to study and research in sport, exercise and health in Medway have grown rapidly over the past decade, led by UoK. Its School of Sport and Exercise Sciences has approximately 450 students and 20 academic staff, offering four undergraduate degrees and three post-graduate programmes.

More than half of UoK graduates go on to careers in the sport, exercise and health sectors, most notably as sports therapists or similar exercise professionals.

The university has developed a strong track record of research in sport, exercise and health, with 30 Medway-based researchers and expert practioners conducting studies to develop new knowledge and professional practice in the sport and exercise sciences.

Staff in its research groups have published and presented more than 300 scientific papers in the last three years alone, attracting hundreds of thousands of pounds of research funding and working with organisations ranging from FIFA, British Cycling, the Rugby Football Union and the British Paralympic team to local organisations such as the council and Medway NHS Foundation Trust.

In the future the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences aims to establish Medway as the leading place for the study of sport, exercise and health in the UK, and to attract students from around the world to study here. Its research will focus on the benefits of exercise and physical activity, and on the health issues that affect people in Medway.

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MidKent College The new MidKent College, campus alongside the Medway Park site in Gillingham, has approximately 150 full-time students studying sports-related diplomas, A-levels and coaching courses.

These courses are designed to offer pathways into sport-related careers or higher education: Football Development: The Football Development pathway is for those interested in working in the football industry. Alongside a Level 3 Diploma in Sport of Sport Exercise, students are able to enrol on to FA coaching courses. These students also receive coaching from UEFA-qualified staff and have the chance to volunteer with Gillingham FC, assisting coaches in the community.

Fitness and Therapy: Alongside their Level 3 Diploma, students interested in a career in the fitness industry can enrol onto the Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing to become qualified gym instructors and the Level 2 Award in Instructing Circuits. Students can also progress to the Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training.

Higher Education Progression: After completion of their Level 3 Diploma, students wishing to go to university can top up their qualification to higher-level diplomas, giving them an insight into the requirements of higher study. There is also an opportunity for a HNC/D at its Maidstone campus.

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Medway’s sports centres Strood Medway’s second busiest sports centre, Strood, is a bustling facility with much to offer – fitness facility, swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool, dance classes, sports halls and Kicks, our 3G artificial pitch soccer facility and clubhouse.

Proposals are being developed to substantially increase the size and scope of the fitness area, as well as offering a wider range of facilities.

Strand The Strand is a popular leisure attraction with residents, particularly in the summer when the outdoor pool is open.

However, the site is in need of some investment to maintain it as an attractive site for sport and recreation.

Medway Council is committed to encouraging leisure and physical activity in a parkland setting. As such we will look at ways to upgrade and renovate the facilities at the Strand, identifying new opportunities for encouraging activity at the riverside site.

Splashes One of the first fun pools established in the county, steps are being taken to revitalise Splashes, enhancing the fun elements with a number of new additions, and expanding its gym/fitness offer.

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Stirling Centre In an innovative and ground-breaking move, Medway has secured £500,000 investment into the facilities at the Stirling Centre, through entering into partnership with King’s School, Rochester.

This has created fantastic sporting opportunities for the students of a school with a 1,400 year history. At the same time the agreement means even greater public access to the facilities, with a dramatically improved community usage offer.

Working with partners King’s, we have plans to bring an even wider range of activities to the centre.

Hundred of Hoo Serving Medway’s rural communities on the Peninsula, Hundred of Hoo continues to offer a vital community service, and we have taken steps to improve the facilities on offer.

Extensive renovations to the gym and fitness facility have been undertaken, widening the range of equipment on offer and increasing the scale of the gym.

The swimming pool is a highly-prized asset on the Peninsula, and a range of improvements have already been made to enhance the experience for its users.

Deangate Ridge Golf Course Deangate Ridge offers a top quality course at exceptional prices.

Following an extensive programme of works to the greens in conjunction with the Sports Technology Research Institute over the last three years, the course plays better than ever, and recently there have been improvements made to the driving range and clubhouse.

The next phase of development is to establish a Par 3 Academy course, providing outstanding facilities in a fantastic setting.

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Capstone Country Park In recent years there has been investment in improved sporting facilities at Capstone Country Park with the introduction of new cycling routes, running routes, a bridleway and fishing facilities.

Visitors can now follow marked running and mountain biking routes of up to 5km with trim trail fitness equipment. There is also a new BMX park and a horse-riding trail.

These improvements have proved extremely popular, but there is scope for far greater participation with the development of a regional outdoor centre of sporting excellence to complement Medway Park.

Medway Council is looking at ways to further enhance the outdoor fitness offer at Capstone Country Park through the provision of cycle hire facilities and showers and changing rooms. Given Capstone’s relatively close proximity for residents, allied to a number of new cycling routes suitable for all levels, there is a great opportunity for the site to rapidly gain in popularity and link into the green grid cycle network.

The River Medway The inaugural Medway River Festival, held to celebrate HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, proved very successful and helped promote the river as an essential part of Medway’s sports and leisure offer.

This festival – which has now become an annual event - has created a focus on the river, highlighting the wide range of sporting opportunities available on the water in Medway.

The river already stages national sailing regattas and has successful rowing and cruising clubs. There is also a willingness among river groups to promote and develop greater usage.

The river is an integral part of Medway’s rich heritage, and Medway Council is committed to ensuring this wonderful asset is a key feature of Medway’s sporting future.

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Cycling and the green grid Cycling is a simple, cheap and enjoyable way for the whole family to stay healthy and active.

Medway Council continues to work on a number of initiatives to motivate the people of Medway to get on their bikes, spurred on by the recent publication of the government’s Get Britain Cycling report.

Pilot projects elsewhere in the UK have seen increases of a third or more in the number of people regularly using their bikes following major cycling initiatives.

Medway’s Local Transport Plan for 2013-15 and Cycle Action Plan set out plans for developing Medway’s cycling culture through a number of cycle route improvement and cycling promotion schemes.

This ongoing work includes new crossings, plugging gaps in the network, new cycle routes, other possible measures such as speed limit reductions and the redesigning of roads, and investment in cycle parks and off-road cycling sites such as at Capstone.

The aim is to create a green grid cycle network of safe cycle routes linking up Medway’s parks and open spaces and town centres, as well as leisure and other key community sites.

In addition to the engineering projects, Medway Council is focussed on further enhancing training and education for children and adults, and the continued growth of its organised group health rides and incentive schemes to promote cycling to commuters.

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En Route to

Rio

Delivering Medway’s Sporting Legacy

2013-2016

Outdoor fitness Exercise and fitness is not restricted to indoor sports centres. A huge amount of investment is being made in creating and maintaining new and innovative recreation opportunities in Medway’s parks and open spaces, allowing people of all ages to enjoy healthy lifestyles on their doorsteps.

Electronic play systems SportACTIV is an innovative new outdoor electronic platform providing a competitive play arena on which both children and adults are challenged to compete or individuals can play on their own.

A new SportACTIV play area is scheduled to open at Ryetop Play Area in Beacon Close, Rainham, in August 2013. It will be only the third such SportACTIV facility to be installed in the UK.

Fitness equipment A range of outdoor gyms and fitness trails located around Medway green spaces and parks provide free workouts in the fresh air for the residents of Medway.

Since 2010, outdoor gym-style moving equipment has been installed at Rainham Recreation Ground, Canal Road, Strood and Maidstone Road Sports Ground.

Static fitness trails are also available on Rochester Esplanade, Broomhill Park and Capstone Country Park.

Medway Council’s greenspaces team is looking at opportunities to build on the success of the outdoor fitness initiative through the installation of further outdoor gyms.

Marked out walking and running trails Walking and running are two of the simplest and cheapest ways of staying healthy and getting active.

In addition to the trails at Capstone Country Park, 1km trails have been marked out at two of Medway’s Greenflag Award winning parks - Hillyfields Community Park and Broomhill Park.

Medway Council is looking at additional sites where similar running routes and trails can be introduced.

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Skate and BMX parks Consultation with young people across Medway over the last 10 years highlighted the need for more dynamic, challenging recreation opportunities for teenagers.

This has led to the installation of skate and BMX parks across Medway’s greenspaces which are very popular and well used. They are located at Cozenton Park, Jacksons Recreation Ground, Beechings Way and Capstone Country Park.

Multi-use games areas Multi-use games areas enable young people in particular to play casual sport whenever they want.

Medway Council provides outdoor multi-use courts that are ideal for basketball, football and netball, with no booking required.

There are 10 multi-use games areas in operation in the following Medway parks: • Copperfields Recreation Ground; • Hook Meadow; • Pottery Road, Hoo; • Princes Park, Chatham; • Castlemaine, Gillingham; • Luton Millennium Green; • James Street; • Canal Road, Strood; • Barnfield Road Recreation Ground; • Rainham Recreation Ground.

Competitive sport Medway Council manages a large number of sports pitches, tennis courts and bowling greens for outdoor competitive sport. These include a total of 43 senior football pitches, 17 junior football pitches, 31 tennis courts, eight rugby pitches and three outdoor bowling greens, all available for community hire.

The vast majority of the council-run football pitches are used every weekend through the football season.

Medway Council is committed to maintaining and investing in these vital community facilities, with a new football pavillion at Beechings Way scheduled to be completed by March 2014.

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En Route to

Rio

Delivering Medway’s Sporting Legacy

2013-2016

Medway Sports Awards The Medway Sports Awards are a major celebration of sporting success in Medway.

Held every two years, the awards highlight the achievements and dedication of Medway athletes, coaches, clubs, teams and schools. Gold, silver and bronze awards are presented in senior and junior categories for athletes, teams and clubs, as well as coaches, volunteers, and schools. There is also a lifetime contribution award.

The gala celebration in 2012 was attended by Olympic boxing gold medallist Anthony Joshua, GB Wheelchair Rugby's Steve Brown and GB Sitting Volleyball player Claire Harvey, plus Meday sporting ambassadors Steve Backley and Danny Crates.

The awards will continue to be held every two years, with nominations already open for the 2014 awards. They are supported by a number of partners and sponsors including the University of Kent and the Medway Messenger.

The wider picture Medway Council works closely with a wide network of organisations and partner agencies involved in the delivery of sport locally and nationally.

In addition to the partnerships already detailed, Medway sits on the Kent and Medway Sports Board, which represents the interests of sport in Kent and is accountable to the Sport England South East Regional Sports Board.

The Kent and Medway Sports Board is an integral part of Sport England’s delivery system for sport, comprised of County Sports Partnerships (Kent Sport & Physical Activity Service) and Community Sports Networks.

Medway Sport also works directly with Sport England and with individual national governing bodies of sport to identify joint local initiatives for encouraging grassroots sports participation.

There are 46 core governing bodies that receive funding from Sport England. They each have whole sport plans that identify how they plan to increase the number of people playing their sport once a week and also to nurture talent.

Sport England offers advice and funding opportunities for supporting the delivery of a local sporting legacy, either directly through local authorities such as Medway Council or through local clubs, facilities and organisations.

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For further information Medway Sport Phone: 01634 338238 Email: medwaysport@medway.gov.uk Web: www.medway.gov.uk/medwaysport Twitter: @MedwaySport

Medway Sporting Legacy Play Compete Spectate

Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

G8159 Designed by Medway Council’s Communications Team www.medway.gov.uk/communications

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Photo credits: Paul Bronicki; Cesar Velasco; University of Kent