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East Midlands champion for community sport is appointed

5 February 2010

Manjula Sood is one of nine new champions appointed across England, and will act as an advocate for grassroots sport and Sport England’s plans to increase participation.

Each champion’s role will be to advocate Sport England’s strategy to key regional and sub-regional partners including Regional Development Agencies, Government Offices, Primary Health Care Trusts, local elected members, county sports partnerships, sport’s national governing bodies at a regional level, business partners and the Third Sector.

They will also broker regional and sub-regional partnerships to secure continued investment in community sport, support and work with the London 2012 Nations and Regions Group to maximise the sporting legacy of the Games and be spokespeople on behalf of Sport England on local community sports issues.

Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said: “Our new champions have an important role in taking forward the spirit of partnership that is essential if our aim of getting many more people playing sport as one of the key benefits from London hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games is to be realised.

“They all have practical experience, bags of local knowledge and the skills needed to unite the many bodies with an interest in getting people more active – and I look forward to working with them.”

The champions will be expected to commit an average of half a day a week to their new roles.

Richard Lewis, Chair of Sport England, said: “The champions’ expertise and passion will help us make the case for sport, and its power to build happier, healthier, communities. Each of them will play a key role in cementing the local relationships that are critical to our drive to get more people playing sport and inspire individuals at every level to fulfil their potential.”

Cllr Manjula Sood has been an elected Labour Councillor for 14 years and became the first Asian female Lord Mayor in the UK in May 2008 and was the first Asian female High Bailiff in the UK in 2007.

She is currently a Trustee and an Executive Director of the Leicester Council of Faiths, which promotes better understanding amongst faith communities and has previously served as a Non Executive Director for the NHS.

She is a Community Patron for the Special Olympics in Leicester and Governor of Leicester College.