Raising the heartbeat of the nation — behind the 'asks'

Following the launch of our Ministers' To-Do List we did a quick Q&A with James Allen, Head of Policy at the Sport and Recreation Alliance, on the reasons behind the 'asks'.

Community sport and recreation is firmly seen as the base of pyramid of sport and rec. Why is it important that more is done to support it? 

"Community sport and recreation play a vital and irreplaceable role in many ways. It is at local and community facilities and in locally-run projects across the breadth of our membership where future top-level athletes take their first steps towards success. They are also hubs where people of all ages and abilities can take part, stay active and also develop a bond and sense of community.

"To fulfil our potential and keep these opportunities available to everybody, we need a fair and balanced tax and regulatory environment, including through a viable and accessible Community Amateur Sports Club scheme. We also believe that the time has come for a sports betting right to ensure a reasonable level of investment back into the grassroots and for employers who do the right thing in getting their staff more active to be rewarded through the tax system".

Why is getting children active early such an important ask?

"We know that getting children active in the early years is essential for their physical and emotional development. It also means children are more likely to remain active as they get older. If they develop a habit of being healthy early in life, they will lessen the strain on a health service that is currently dealing with the effects of an inactive population.

"This is why there needs to be continued investment in training for primary school teachers so that all young children get the opportunity to experience fun, high-quality PE, sport and physical activity".

What is the idea behind local authorities developing a strategy for physical activity opportunities?

"The key idea is collaboration and partnership, not just between local government and agencies, but also with the local communities that they serve. By working together, the needs of the community can be best addressed and opportunities created that are available to the widest number of people from within that community.

"A local strategy for physical activity would bring agencies together to identify the needs of the community and provide a comprehensive, joined-up response. This could include a range of activities such as opening up school facilities to the community so that new clubs can be set up in the heart of the local area".

The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games showed that the UK can hold spectacular events, with equally spectacular results. What else does it need to remain a global, world-class sporting centre?

"The UK enjoys a unique place on the world stage when it comes to hosting the world’s best events. To keep the UK the home of world class sport, however, we need proper protection of the intellectual property that makes our events so special and we need to make sure that the right balance is struck when making decisions about how much to tax the world’s visiting sports stars.

"We also believe that we have the world’s best fans and spectators, and want them to have proper protections in place when they are buying tickets – including on the secondary market".

Simple question, why do we need a Minister for the Outdoors?

"The outdoors is one of the UK’s greatest assets. People of all ages can reap the physical and emotional benefits from being active in the natural environment and outdoor recreation contributes to the economy as well as helping to create jobs. We need a cross-department national outdoor recreation strategy driven by a dedicated Minister for the Outdoors to protect and maximise the full potential of the natural environment".

To find out more about our Ministers' To-Do List, click here.
 

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