Be a sporting hero with Sport Makers

19 October 2011

Sport Makers, a project which aims to use the inspirational pull of London 2012 to recruit, train and deploy new sports volunteers, has been launched in Derbyshire.

Local people aged 16 years and over are being encouraged to get involved and help ‘make sport happen’. The aim is that Sport Makers will have a positive and inspiring introduction to the world of sport volunteering and will continue to give of their time, further increasing sport participation long after the 2012 Games are held in the UK.

Sport Makers is being backed by five-time Olympic Gold medalist Sir Steve Redgrave, who has joined forces with Sport England and Derbyshire Sport to launch the initiative.

Sir Steve said: “You don’t need medals to become a sporting hero. By helping people you know to get involved in sport you’ll be doing something amazing for your friends and local community as well as having fun yourself.

“The thing I want to see more than anything is more people out enjoying what sport has to offer, but we need help to make it happen.

“So why not take the first step to becoming a sporting hero and visit www.sportmakers.co.uk (opens in a new window) (opens in a new window)”

Sport Makers aims to inspire 779 people in Derbyshire to get involved, with each of them volunteering for at least ten hours to organise or lead sporting activities for participants aged 16 years and over.

The initiative was launched in Derbyshire at a Jog Derbyshire session in Melbourne, which is organised by two volunteer leaders and gives an introduction to jogging and running.

Andrea Stone, Sport Development Manager at Derbyshire Sport, said: “Jog Derbyshire is just one of the many sports projects that those who volunteer to become Sport Makers could get involved in.

“We will be working with clubs, community organisations, colleges and universities to help find Sport Makers a suitable placement which they are interested in.

“Sport Makers is an ideal way for people to dip their toe in the water and get involved in sport. There is no long-term commitment, but we hope that those who get involved will have so much fun that they continue and become part of the Olympic legacy.”

Sport Makers is part of the Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country.

Every Sport Maker will be invited to an informal and interactive workshop where they will gain the skills and opportunities to get involved in sport in Derbyshire. Sport Makers will be introduced to organisations that need their help, and join forces with others who want to make sport happen locally. There will also be opportunities to meet top athletes and plenty of incentives to stay involved.

Anyone interested in becoming a Sport Maker can register their interest at www.sportmakers.co.uk (opens in a new window) (opens in a new window)

The launch of Sport Makers has been welcomed by the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP. He said: “The volunteers that help out at local sports clubs up and down the country are the foundations of community sport. The new Sport Makers initiative is a key part of the London 2012 sports legacy and will help community sports clubs across the country get more people playing sport.”

Over 50% of adults in England say they’d like to play more sport , but many people don’t feel they have the time, money or confidence to get involved in a formal setting.

Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, said: “This is a great chance to get involved in making sport happen in Derbyshire, whether that’s planning the route, finding the pitch or encouraging others to take part.

“So if you think you could help, or have your own ideas for getting others involved in sport, please join in as a Sport Maker and become part of the legacy of the London 2012 Games.”

The programme is backed by the British Olympic Association, whose Chair, Lord Moynihan, said: “Sport Makers will help contribute to an active and vibrant grassroots sporting environment, through which opportunities for people of all ages to participate in sport will be expanded. It will reinforce the ideals of the Olympic and Paralympic movement, demonstrating how they are relevant to every level of sport.”

Pictured above, at the Derbyshire launch of Sport Makers, are jog group members from Melbourne Joggers with 'Sport Makers' Bernadette Dooley (front left) and Martin Stephens (front right).

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