Sports Development
Sports development is concerned with the provision and enhancement of opportunities to participate in sport. It is about opportunity for everybody, the disadvantaged, the able, the young, the beginner, the potential stars, coaches, officials and administrators. Central to the concept is the belief that all those who take part in sport should be encouraged and have the opportunity to reach their maximum potential with the only constraints being their interest and ability.
A Community Sports Strategy for Solihull 2007 - 2016
The Strategy seeks to increase participation in sport and active recreation through five areas of activity:
- Participation development
- Sports Volunteering
- Sports clubs and facilities
- Sport workforce development
- Raising the awareness of sporting opportunities
Four themes have also been identified:
- Children and Young People
- Health and Older People
- Safer and Stronger Communities
- Economic Vitality
The strategy will be delivered with the involvement of many organisations.
Solihull Council's Leisure Services Team oversee the strategic development of sport and active recreation across the borough as well as the development and delivery of community-based projects such as:
- DocSpot - Solihull's GP Referral Scheme (exercise on prescription)
- Striders & Strollers Health Walks (Walking the Way To Health)
- SHINE (Stay Healthy: Improve Nutrition and Exercise)
- Positive Futures
- NS Fusion - a five-year project designed to engage young people and the community of North Solihull in sport and physical activity
- The Community Sports Coach Scheme
- Sports Unlimited
- Back to Netball
We support the development of voluntary and community sports clubs with advice and assistance ranging from :
- Club Development
- Coach Education
- Marketing and Publicity
- External Funding and Grants Aid
- Volunteering
Together with a range of local, regional and national organisations, we aim to get more people, more physically active, more often. Our partners include:
- The borough's emerging Sport & Physical Activity Network (SPAN)
- Local School Sports Co-ordinators Partnerships (SSCos)
- Coventry Solihull & Warwickshire Sport
- Sport England
- Regional Representatives of National Governing Bodies of Sport
- Solihull NHS Care Trust
- Parkwood Leisure
We also co-ordinate the award-winning SolihullActive campaign to combat couch potato culture - at the heart of which is an online database of local leisure activities.
The day-to-day operation of Solihull's 3 public sports centres is contracted to Parkwood Leisure through a 30-year Public Private Partnership agreement. All enquiries, comments and complaints relating to service delivery should be directed to the respective sports centre in the first instance. Meanwhile we work closely with Parkwood, on ways to develop and improve the services available from them.
Solihull Ice Rink is managed by St Modwen Properties Plc on behalf of Solihull Council.
- Sports facilities - Information on sports and leisure facilities in Solihull.
Contact Details
For more information please contact us
Telephone: 0121 704 8207
Email: leisureservices@solihull.gov.uk