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England footballer, Eric Dier, is a Sported ambassador
Grassroots fear cost crisis
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© CREDIT: SPORTED
Grassroots sport organisations are struggling under the cost of living crisis, with 94% of community sports groups saying they “fear the impact” of the financial pressures they are facing. More than twothirds (67%) of the groups also expect the crisis will force children out of participating in activities over the next six months – even when those activities are free.
The findings come from research by charity Sported, which surveyed more than 500 community sports groups.
Tottenham Hotspur and England footballer, Eric Dier, is one of the high-profile Sported ambassadors.
“I am very concerned at what the next few months will bring and the lasting impacts this crisis will leave for grassroots sports groups. The cost of living crisis has already impacted them and I’d urge people to do what they can to help keep the doors of these groups open.”
IN BRIEF
CIMSPA’s Digital Marketing Hub secures investment
The Digital Marketing Hub will continue to operate for a second year, after Sport England awarded £520,000 worth of National Lottery Funding to the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA). The Hub is aimed at improving the marketing skills of the sports sector.
Adam Blaze appointed CEO of Activity Alliance
Activity Alliance has appointed Adam Blaze as its new CEO. Blaze will start in the role on 1 January 2023, taking over from Barry Horne MBE, who is set to step down at the end of 2022 after more than twelve years at the helm. Blaze joins the disability sport charity from Sport England.
New guide highlights benefi ts of cycling
A guide has been published to increase awareness among health professionals of the benefits of cycling. Called The Therapeutic Value of Cycling – a resource for health professionals, the guide advises on how cycling can be adapted and embedded within interventions.
PEOPLE
Jason Douglass
© CREDIT: S&C SLATTER
Jason Douglass to step down
Jason Douglass, chair of the Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA), has announced his intention to step down from the role when his two-year tenure comes to an end in December 2022. Douglass was named chair for the two-year term in December 2020. During his tenure, he oversaw the appointment of Richard Shaw as CEO, following the retirement of Chris Trickey.
“It’s been my privilege and pleasure to welcome Richard Shaw as he’s joined the Association as CEO. Richard has impressed me with his ability to get under the skin of the association very quickly, identify opportunities for change and implement intelligent strategies for running the business. I’m confident that the direction of travel that’s been set is the right one, and SAPCA’s journey will continue positively and effectively.”
Conica will become EA’s o cial supplier until 2026
Conica signs European deal
© CREDIT: CONICA
European Athletics has signed a partnership deal with SAPCA member Conica until the end of 2026.
Track manufacturer Conica will become a Preferred Supplier of European Athletics (EA) in the ‘tracks and sport flooring’ category and will be designated as an Official Supplier at events where their tracks are used.
Conica Chief Commercial Officer, Lara Guillod, said: “The cooperation with European Athletics is fully aligned with our corporate strategy, especially as we have started to focus even more strongly on international expansion in the sports and leisure sectors this year.”
European Athletics currently has 51 national members across the continent.
Stuart Andrew named new sports minister
Stuart Andrew has been appointed as the new sports minister. He replaces Nigel Huddleston, who had held the role since early 2020.
During his parliamentary career, Andrew, the MP for Pudsey since 2010, has served in a number of junior posts across various government departments – from justice to housing. He was previously Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice between 8 July 2022 and 7 September 2022. Before that, he was Minister of State (Minister for Housing) in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
While he has no previous experience in sport, his appointment has been welcomed by a numer of organisations in the sports industry.
Andrew has previously served in a number of junior posts
The England women’s team has been breaking records at the tournament
Rugby League World Cup breaks records
This year’s Rugby League World Cup held in England has become the most watched tournament in the sport’s history.
Broadcast figures at the time of SportsNation going to press show that the event had attracted a cumulative match average of more than 18.7 million.
Records have also been broken at the venues hosting the games.
The DW Stadium in Wigan broke the all-time record for a Rugby League World Cup quarter-final match, as 23,179 people were in attendance to see England men beat Papua New Guinea 46-6 and advance to the semi-finals.
England women’s game against Canada also broke the attendance record for a women’s rugby league game with 8,621 people in the stands.
Meanwhile, the tournament has had a huge impact in promoting the sport of wheelchair rugby to larger audiences.
At London’s Copper Box Arena, the world record for attendance was broken twice within a week.
The record is now 3,268 people, who watched England’s Wheelchair team defeat Spain, increasing the record which was set just a few days earlier in the opening double header on Thursday 3 November.
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
CopriSystems have started work on a big indoor multi-sports facility project at Welland Park Academy in Market Harborough
The Welland Park Academy is turning its existing sports hall into classrooms to accommodate more pupils. Replacing it, a new structure will give the school the opportunity to offer a broader programme of sport, as well as provide additional space for exams and social events.
Working alongside consultancy firm S2E, the job is expected to take six months and is hoped to be the first of many projects for the partnership. As principal contractors, CopriSystems designed the building, carried out the structural calculations and will do a full internal fit-out including all electrics, plumbing and changing room facilities.
A site manager has been recruited to lead the team and he is doing a fantastic job having already had to deal with a number of unforeseen complications, including foul mains water, issues with the electrical supply, torrential rain flooding the clay soil and a workforce that have been regularly soaked to the bone. However, spirits have not been dampened and they remain on time and within budget.
“We have been delighted with the progress on our new sports hall,” says Julie McBrearty, the school’s principal. “CopriSystems have worked with precision and speed to realise the plans to deadline. There is a buzz on site as students enjoy watching the structure take shape. This facility will enhance our provision of excellent sporting experiences.”
This is a project of many firsts for CopriSystems, despite having over 30
The project is one of many firsts for CopriSystems
The structure will create more opportunities for sport at the school
years experience supplying bespoke sports structures to schools, gyms, leisure centres and other training venues. The company is continuously looking for new ways to advance its processes by being more sustainable and for the first time, has started to use plastic sheets on the inside of the wood shuttering to prevent the concrete from sticking. This allows the wood to be reused again and is just one example of their commitment to reduce their environmental impact by being innovative. It’s an exciting time for CopriSystems and, with a renewed focus on making sport more inclusive and sports facilities more accessible, we expect to see many similar projects cropping up in their portfolio. ●
More info: www.coprisystems.com We have been delighted with the progress on our new sports hall. CopriSystems have worked with precision and speed to realise the plans to deadline. There is a buzz on site as students enjoy watching the structure take shape. This facility will enhance our provision of excellent sporting experiences.
Julie McBrearty Principal, Welland Park Academy
Ukrainian refugees start careers as lifeguards
Ukrainian refugees are securing new careers as lifeguards in the UK, thanks to the RLSS UK’s National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ).
Three Ukrainians are now working as lifeguards at Brighton Swimming Centre after completing the RLSS UK’s NPLQ. A fourth learner, aged 16, has gone on to full time education at Brighton College.
The lifeguards - aged 19, 34 and 47-years-old - had been enrolled on a Functional Skills UK course to improve their English reading, writing and communication skills when offered the opportunity to complete the NPLQ course with Swim UK.
The students studied alongside their British counterparts during the five-day course using Google Translate to interpret any specialist terminologies. During the final exam, they had access to an app, which allowed them to translate the questions into Ukrainian.
Sacha Lansdall, Curriculum Advisor and Tutor at Functional Skills UK/Swim UK, said: “The NPLQ course gave the learners focus and has really helped them grow in confidence. They’ve gone from not knowing much English and being out of work to being employed as a lifeguard in the UK.”
Three Ukrainian refugees are now working as lifeguards in Brighton
© CREDIT: RLSS
© CREDIT: GERFLOR
Gerfl or will partner Netball Scotland for three years
Netball Scotland names Gerfl or as partner
SAPCA member Gerflor has been named as the official flooring partner of Netball Scotland. The flooring specialist will work collaboratively with the governing body over the next three years.
The partnership will see Netball Scotland recommend Gerflor to its facility partners for consideration during development plans.
The appointment is part of Netball Scotland’s vision to become the “sport of choice” for all women and girls in Scotland.
Geraldine McGuire, Netball Scotland’s Head of Development said: “We very much look forward to working with Gerflor, as we continue to build an infrastructure of places across Scotland to support the growth and ambition of our sport.”
Netball Scotland is responsible for the governance and development of the sport across the country.
Women in Sport’s Time Together campaign to get mums and daughters physically active
Women in Sport has partnered with 20 organisations to help break down the barriers faced by women and girls who want to get physically active. As part of its Time Together campaign, Women in Sport has teamed up with the likes of England Netball, RFU, British Cycling and Swim England to offer accessible
Stephanie Hilborne
ways to try out new activities in supportive environments.
The campaign, which is centred around the theme of belonging, is also being supported by ITV This Morning doctor Zoe Williams.
The initiative follows research by Women in Sport, which found that 1.3 million girls in the UK, who previously enjoyed sport in primary school, are dropping out of sport during their teenage years. The report shows that the issues preventing girls from being active include a fear of judgement, combined with the challenges of navigating puberty.
The project aims to break down barriers to being active
Stephanie Hilborne, Women in Sport CEO, said: “We know that most teenage girls face real barriers to getting active and into sport. The cumulative impact of stereotyping from a young age means many girls feel they don’t belong being active.”
Dynamik transforms Lee Valley track
SAPCA member Dynamik has completed the redevelopment of London’s Lee Valley Indoor Athletics Centre. Working in partnership with track manufacturer Mondo, the facility has been transformed in order to maintain the centre’s World Athletics Certification.
The venue is operated by GLL on behalf of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, who wanted the redevelopment work to be undertaken in an environmentally-friendly way.
“We took on board the environmental requirements and came up with the best solution, overlaying the old track surface with a new Mondo surface to avoid landfill,” Dynamik said. “This also saved time, energy and lowered the cost.”
The centre now boasts a brand new Mondo surface
Harrod Sport supplies all the goals for the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar
SAPCA member Harrod Sport has supplied its FIFA-Approved, Stadium PRO Goal Post Systems to all the stadiums hosting the matches at the this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
As well as delivering its Stadium Goals to all eight stadiums, it has also delivered more than 400 goals to the 32 training venues across Qatar.
Overall, Harrod Sport equipment will be used by the world’s best players at 68 training pitches.
The company’s Director of Sport Sales & Marketing, Kevin Utton, said: “Harrod Sport has supplied many major events and we’re elated to be able to add the prestigious FIFA World Cup to this list.
Alan Ferguson, FIFA’s Senior Pitch Management Manager at the governing body’s World Cups Division, added: “Working with Harrod Sport for the supply of football goals for the 2022 FIFA World Cup provides me and the entire grounds team with a tremendous amount of confidence as we move into tournament mode.
“Knowing that we have FIFA Approved products in place, which have been tried and tested at the very highest level, is exactly what we need for the greatest show on earth.”
© CREDIT: MARK HARROD Harrod Sport has supplied all eight stadiums with goals Harrod Sport has previously supplied goals for the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup, UEFA EURO 2020 (played in 2021), the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and, more recently, UEFA Women’s EUROs England 2022.
Cork and olive infi ll for Dutch club’s 3G pitch
SAPCA member Amorim Sports has made its Dutch debut after supplying Schagen United in The Netherlands with its cork-based natural infill for a 3G artificial football pitch.
Amorim’s Organic 202 infill combines cork and olive components in a special processed way, providing an alternative to the polymeric rubber crumb infill. “The Schagen United pitch was a pilot project and the players’ feedback was very positive,” a spokesperson for Amorim Sports said.
“The club was really satisfied with the performance aspect.
“While the olive core component ensures the necessary stability in the system, the cork component contributes to the reduction of force and increases playing comfort thanks to its natural elasticity. The size distribution, as well as the infill shape, is optimised to minimise the discharge from the system and the maintenance effort.
“In contrast to other natural infill materials, it is weatherresistant, rot-resistant and ensures constant playing performance.”
The sustainably sourced infi ll is a mixture of cork and olive pits
Workforce State of the Mind Survey launches
The latest round of a project exploring the wellbeing of those working in the fitness and active leisure sector has been launched.
The Workforce State of Mind Survey is now entering into its third year. Last year, The Survey, which is anonymous, reported that 57 per cent of people working in fitness and active leisure have experienced a mental health issue in the last 12 months, up from 53 per cent the year before.
Only 11 per cent say that anybody at work checks in on their mental health, down from 19 per cent in 2021.
This year, the survey will benefit from the official support of Active IQ, Alliance Leisure, Les Mills and Myzone. The survey is owned and managed by Workplace Mental Wealth and backed by The Chartered Institute for The Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
Lindsey Simpson, Co-founder of Workplace Mental Wealth, said: “As we enter the third year of The Survey, it will be interesting to see how individuals in the sector are faring and what employers are doing to support their teams.”
The survey will go live on the Workplace Mental Wealth website in January 2023.
The survey will explore the wellbeing of those working in physical activity
Playfi nder will provide PlayZones with Bookteq and Lockteq solutions
© CREDIT: PEXELS.COM/JULIA LARSON
Playfi nder secures PlayZones access deal
The Football Foundation has appointed Playfinder to supply smart access and integrated booking systems for the pilot phase of its PlayZones programme.
PlayZones are small-sided sports facilities designed to provide accessible outdoor facilities that bring communities together through recreational forms of football and a range of other sports (for more, see SportsNation Issue 5/2022).
Playfinder will provide its Lockteq access solution to PlayZones and, alongside its Bookteq booking system, will offer a reservation system which enables players to have access to facilities using a unique access code.
The Football Foundation plans to create 330 PlayZones sites as part of a £92m investment by the end of 2025.
© CREDIT: PLAYFINDER
Sector “needs to embrace active ageing”
Active ageing presents “the biggest opportunity for the physical activity sector today”, according to David Stalker, president of EuropeActive – the industry body for the European sports, fitness and physical activity sector.
Stalker, addressing more than 100 industry professionals on an online seminar, said it was time for facility operators and activity providers to focus on older adults.
“As operators, if you can’t see that one of the biggest opportunities you have is the ageing population, then frankly I don’t know what you’re doing in the industry,” Stalker said.
“For the first time health is sitting at our door with the opportunity to deliver it and ageing is a crucial element of that, so let’s grab it.
David Stalker is the president of EuropeActive
“As a sector, we have to embrace this challenge. It’s hard work, but it’s crucial that we make a difference to people’s lives. We must do it.”
Official statistics show that, in the UK, there are 12 million people aged 65 and above. By 2035, more than half of adults are expected to be 50 or over and the number of people aged 85 and over is projected to double by 2050.
Stalker was speaking in a webinar with the topic of “Active and Healthy Ageing”.
© CREDIT: EUROPEACTIVE
Gould is a former CEO of both Somerset CCC and Surrey CCC
Richard Gould named ECB chief executive offi cer
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has named Richard Gould as its new chief executive. Gould, the current CEO of Bristol City FC, will take up the post at the end of January 2023.
During his career, Gould has held a number of leadership roles in cricket – including stints as CEO at both Somerset CCC and Surrey CCC.
At ECB, Gould, 52, will be tasked with delivering the vision set out by ECB chair Richard Thompson to make cricket “the most inclusive sport in the country”. The strategy follows accusations of “widespread racism” in English cricket made in 2021 – ignited by complaints made by former Yorkshire CCC player, Azeem Rafiq.
Gould said: “Cricket is a national asset that can be played by all and helps strengthen and enhance communities across the nation.”
Escape aims to make functional training more inclusive and accessible
Equipment specialist Escape Fitness has launched its new Multi Activity Resource Station (MARS-2.0), as part of plans to break down barriers to participation that exist when people feel unsure of how to safely and effectively use gym equipment.
Designed to “bridge the gap between education and equipment”, MARS 2.0 aims to create a more inclusive training environment.
Matthew Januszek, CEO, Escape Fitness, said: “MARS 2.0 provides ‘always on’ equipment instruction and coaching, perfect for training spaces that do not always offer in-person support from instructors.
“Many people, especially demonstrations to full-on workouts. The entire Escape Fitness content library is available to all, with the option to switch-on and switchoff content streams to reflect the gym’s equipment provision.
those who are new to functional The solution aims to bridge the gap between training, can be put education and equipment off training because they are unsure of how to engage with the equipment.
“Being able to access equipment demonstrations and pre-loaded programmes that focus on how to use the equipment gives the operator peace of mind that people can train safely and the user the confidence to participate.”
Clicking on the MARS 2.0 touchscreen unlocks a large selection of fitness content from individual exercise and equipment
Sport “must adapt” to att ract young people
Sport needs to adapt and to make activities more appealing, suitable and welcoming for children and young people.
That is the finding of a major survey by Sport Wales, which captured the views of more than 116,000 pupils aged between 7 and 16. The 2022 School Sport Survey found that more than a third of pupils aren’t doing any frequent organised activity outside of their PE lessons.
The figure has risen from 28% to 36% since the survey was last undertaken in 2018. However, the report clearly shows that there is huge demand for sport. While only 39% of pupils are active three or more times a week outside of the school curriculum, 93% of pupils overall want to do more sport.
The survey questioned more than 116,000 pupils
How King’s House School Sports Ground maximised the site’s potential by enhancing sports facilities, benefi ting not only pupils, but a growing number of nearby schools, sports clubs and the local community
Sustainable Sports Ground fit for King’s
King’s House School Sports Ground is a unique 35-acre site, not only used by pupils at King’s House School – an independent preparatory school in Richmond – but by up to 10 different local state and independent schools, to deliver sports curriculum for students across London.
When clearing some wasteland areas near redundant grass tennis courts and an old bowling green, the school realised they had a surprisingly large area of under-utilised land that could be developed. The school knew they wanted to use this space to build facilities not currently offered on site, to increase the number of available sports and capacity for schools.
The school approached the project from two perspectives: enhancing the facilities available to their own students, while increasing capacity and the variety of sports on offer from a commercial perspective for schools and local clubs who also use the site.
Looking for a proven design and build partner, the school chose to work with S&C Slatter to build their new facilities. S&C Slatter were chosen to construct a full-sized hockey pitch (a sport that hadn’t previously been played on site) as well as a new non-turf cricket facility and extension to their existing car park, to accommodate the increased capacity on site.
S&C Slatter supply their clients with an informed and experienced design input and in-depth commercial knowledge, and advised King’s House School on the implementation of a Gen2 facility. Their 30+ years of industry experience, knowledge and advice has contributed to the healthy multi-sport revenue stream.
The versatility of Gen2 allows the school to use the
Natalie Wray, Commercial Operations Manager King’s House School Sports Ground
pitch for netball, tennis, mini-cricket, lacrosse and low-level football training, enhancing the revenue potential for both the pitch and site as a whole.
The completed facility has allowed the school to offer new sports on-site while increasing capacity, enabling King’s House School Sports Ground to take on more community hire, with external schools able to deliver their entire sporting curriculum on site. The hockey pitch is now home to the London Wayfarers Hockey Club, plus many more grass-roots sports clubs calling King’s House their ‘home’.
King’s House School Sports Ground had a unique concept, achieved by Natalie Wray in partnership with S&C Slatter, and is now an invaluable asset to a large number of pupils and sports players across London. This unique vision has brought together a whole community, supplying them with state-of-theart sports facilities and the space to learn and play.
Your partner from Concept to Completion www.sandcslatter.com
Tel: 01635 34521 Email: info@sandcslatter.com
