Teignbridge Is Tops For Sports Participation
Teignbridge has the highest proportion of adults in Devon participating in sports and active recreation at least three times a week, according to new figures from Sport England's Active People Survey 2.
27.6% of Teignbridge's adult population took part in 2007/08, a big rise from the previous year's figure of 20.7%, and one of only five in the entire South West to be recognised as achieving a 'Significant Increase' by the independent survey.
The news comes as Teignbridge Council gets ready to provide a bumper year for sport in the district which it hopes will improve these figures even further. There are a wide range of new initiatives and activities lined up for local people, including a new '5x30 Community Activator' post to help local people get their recommended amount of weekly exercise.
Throughout the year Teignbridge will also be participating in more sporting schemes than ever before, designed to make it easier for everyone to take more exercise and live a healthy lifestyle. Among the plans are holiday sport camps for young people, improved walking and dancing schemes, initiatives to target less active pupils in schools, a new Community Sports and Physical Activity Network, free access to leisure facilities for national sportspeople, and the new partnership scheme to encourage people to take part in five 30-minute periods of activity each week.
A '5x30 Community Activator', based at Teignbridge Council, has been employed on a part time partnership basis by the Westbank Healthy Living Community Center as part of a Government drive to encourage people to take 30 minutes of exercise five times a week. Five Community Activators will work with district councils across Devon to help promote and encourage regular exercise.
Throughout the year new activities in leisure centres, a freeze on leisure charges, and the continued development of skate parks in Decoy and Teignmouth are also on the cards for Teignbridge.
Cllr Anne Fry, Teignbridge Executive Spokesperson for Recreational Services said:
"We're delighted with the results of the Active People Survey, which shows that Teignbridge is the top performer in Devon for getting people involved in sports and recreation. We always want to do better though, and in 2009 we're hoping to do our bit to get Teignbridge more active than ever!
"Alongside new schemes and activities we'll also keep providing top quality leisure services throughout our leisure centres, outdoor pools, golf facilities and open spaces, all at no extra cost to local people.
"We're working closely with partners such as the Devon Primary Care Trust, youth services, Dance in Devon, and the Westbank Healthy Living Community Center to run improved exercise schemes and employ new staff to help us along the way. We're really keen to help people enjoy a healthy lifestyle and provide opportunities to access a wide range of activities. Looking at the plans for 2009 I'd say it's going to be a busy year!"
This year Teignbridge will also recognise sporting excellence by taking part in the annual Devon Youth Games and supporting the Devon Sports Awards and South Dartmoor's School Sports Partnership Awards in schools. Popular youth competitions such as the Junior Superstars event in February half term will also return, while the Teignbridge Sports Personality Awards will take a well earned break in order to enable more sporting activities to be organised. Plans are underway for the awards to return bigger and better in 2010.
Two new employees based at Teignbridge Council will help arrange and deliver many of the activities for 2009. In addition to the 5x30 Community Activator, a part time Dance Practitioner has been appointed by Dance in Devon to take on Teignbridge's popular 'Dance This Way' scheme, which sees dance sessions run regularly in village and town halls, making it easier for people in rural areas to take part in a range of dance activities.
Another highlight of the year will see the launch of 'Active Teignbridge'; a new community sports and physical activity network that will act as a one-stop shop for all information to do with physical activity, opportunities and facilities across the district, working in partnership with Youth Services, Devon NHS Devon, South Dartmoor School Sports Partnership, charities, clubs and facility providers. Active Teignbridge will enable people to find out how they can get involved in a huge range of ativities in their local area, making it easier than ever to find out what's available locally.
Cllr Fry concluded:
"With frozen leisure charges, better access to information, and more activities on offer than ever before, we're hoping to help our customers have a happy, healthy year. Whether you're new to sports, trying to keep up your new year's resolutions, or are a seasoned sporting professional, there's going to be something for everyone in 2009."
ENDS