SPORTS DEVELOPMENT SERVICE

Annual Report 2018/19 Introduction On behalf of the Sports Development Team, can I welcome you to the annual report or 2018/19. This year’s report gives concise details of the number of projects and campaigns the Sports Development Team deliver, further details on these projects can be obtained from the lead officer whose detail are at the end of relevant section. It continues to be challenging times for local authority Sports Development Teams, sporting clubs and organisations given the ongoing economic and financial difficulties, however, together with our many partners including the YMCA, Citizens Advice, Football Foundation, Youth Sport Trust, Sport England and Saints Community Development Foundation we have been able to secure various grants to enable the delivery of sports projects in the borough which are outlined within this report. Without doubt a considerable amount has been achieved and developed with over 66,000 attendances within the programmes this year and the strength of partnership work should not go unnoticed in this fact, should you require any further information on any of this report’s contents please do not hesitate to contact any member of the team.

Councillor Anthony Burns Community Based and Focussed Services

St. Helens Council

Table of Contents

School Sport Programme 3 Youth Sports Programme 6 ‘Y’ Sports Programme 8 Schools Couch to 5k Programme 11 Fit Forever Programme 13 St Helens Community Sport 15 Inactivity Fund St Helens Community Sport 17 What we also deliver 18

2 School Sport Programme Background

The school sports programme is delivered by St Helens Council’s Sports Development Team on behalf of the St Helens Association for Physical Education & Sport (SHAPES). The programme works alongside a number of external partners including Everton FC, Liverpool FC, Cricket Foundation, Liverpool County FA, Edge Hill University and local sports clubs to deliver a variety of opportunities to engage pupils in school sport. The programme is inclusive of the national School Games programme, funded by Sport England/ Department of Culture, Media & Sport. All schools are able to access the School Games aspects of the school sport programme through their Standard SHAPES membership. However, due to the financial constraints that the programme has faced, additional content is provided for schools of the borough through a Service Level Agreement enabling them to access further competitions, training and support through the Enhanced SHAPES membership that is offered.

Competitions/Activities

The competition calendar continues to evolve due to the rise in popularity of some sports, work with National Governing Bodies and local clubs and in consultation with the borough’s schools. Alongside long standing competitions such as boccia, cricket, high5 netball and athletics, new sports have been introduced including seated volleyball, handball and dodgeball. Furthermore, a number of development competitions and festivals have been established to provide opportunities for more pupils to represent their school in an environment that is relevant to them. This has been particularly well received by schools in the borough in relation to girl’s football, where school have appreciated the focus on learning how to play the sport and skill development, rather than focusing just on results. As part of the national School Games programme, winners of the School Games competitions held in St Helens progressed to the Merseyside School Games Finals where the schools compete against the winning schools from Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton and the Wirral. The Summer Schools Games Finals are held across two days, giving pupils the opportunity to experience a large scale sporting event and for many pupils; this is the first time that they will have experienced an event of that size. The Winter School Games Finals are held as a series of standalone Finals; however this does not take anything away from the experience of the pupils involved. St Helens schools achieved a great deal of success: • St Aidans Primary School won Gold in KS2 New Age Kurling and Gold in KS2 Tri-Golf • Legh Vale Primary School won Gold in the Y5/6 Sportshall Athletics, Silver in Y5/6 Quadkids • Rainford High School won Gold in KS3 Girls Badminton and Silver in Y8 Girls Netball • Cowley High School won Gold in in Y8 Boys Sportshall Athletics and Bronze in KS4 Boys Badminton • Eccleston Lane Ends Primary School won Gold in KS2 Boccia •  won Silver in Y8 Boys Sportshall Athletics, Silver in KS3 Girls Badminton and Bronze in Y8 Girls Sportshall Athletics

• Bleak Hill Primary School won Bronze in Y5/6 Quadkids

3 • Allanson Street Primary School (KS2 Tri-Golf), Cowley High School (Y9 Boys Basketball), Rainhill High School (Y8 Girls Sportshall Athletics) and Wargrave Primary School (Y3/4 Gymnastics) also received the Spirit of the Games Award to recognise their demonstrations of the School Games values

Leadership

Leadership plays a vital role in the school sport programme in a variety of different ways. Undertaking leadership roles enables young people to develop their confidence, communication, teamwork and decision making skills in a supportive environment. It also demonstrates to the young people involved that there are numerous ways of getting involved in sport other than competing such as coaching, officiating, time keeping or scoring. The competition programme that is delivered by Sports Development is underpinned by the support of the borough’s secondary schools in allowing their pupils to take on leadership roles. Secondary schools are also involved in a new Youth Sport Trust led leadership programme, Competition Organiser Training, where they receive training to enable them to deliver competitions within their own school.

Edge Hill Student Placement

The partnership with Edge Hill University has continued to go from strength to strength. The partnership provides practical, work-based learning opportunities for students studying the Physical Education and School Sport degree through their involvement in the school sport programmes delivered by Sports Development.

The main experience that students gain is during their third year where they can gain school based experience in primary schools across the borough. The students, as part of their studies, must complete 40 placement hours, delivering lunchtime and after school clubs and can gain additional experience through supporting the delivery of curriculum Physical Education.

The placement has been mutually beneficial for students and schools as it provides hands on experience to the students involved whilst schools have also benefited from the delivery of additional extra-curricular activities, enabling them to engage more of their pupils. Students have primarily delivered Change4Life Clubs which schools have used to engage pupils that do not traditionally take part in sport or physical activity for numerous reasons such as their health, having a disability or lacking confidence. Girls Football Hub Partnership

St Helens has worked with colleagues from Halton & Knowsley to bid, and be successful, as a hub site for the FA’s Girls Football Partnerships. The programme aims to develop girl’s football through football in schools and involved the FA and Youth Sport Trust working in partnership with local partnerships to enhance their girl’s football offer.

4 Impact of the School Sport Programme

• 84% of the borough’s primary schools have taken the enhanced offer enabling them to access the additional content. • During 2018/19, 143 competitions were delivered as part of the school sport programme, engaging 10,501 pupils from the borough’s schools. • This represents an annual 37.5% increase in the number of competitions and a 53% increase in the number of pupils taking part. • Highest number of successful applications for the National School Games Mark across the borough, with 37 schools achieving the award at one of the four levels. • Bleak Hill Primary School and St Aidan’s Primary School were the first two schools in the borough to achieve the Platinum School Games Mark and were two of only 352 schools nationally to receive the award. • 404 leaders from the majority of our high schools have undertaken leadership roles to support the successful delivery of competition. • 88 students from Edge Hill University have gained work based experience through placement opportunities in primary schools across the borough. • A total of 12 schools and 214 pupils have been involved in Playground Leaders training where Year 5 and 6 pupils undertake training to become Playground Leaders. Once fully trained, the pupils are able to deliver games and activities to younger pupils within their school helping to ensure that break and lunch times are active. • 10 girls from Longton Lane, St Austin’s and Thatto Heath were the first girls in the borough to take part in Liverpool County FA’s Mini-Whistler Course earn the basics of refereeing. • The Girls Football Hub activities started to emerge through their attendance at more girls football festivals delivered as part of the school sport programme. Further details can obtained from Danny Bacon [email protected]

5 Youth Sports Programme Background

The Youth Sports Programmes aim is to increase participation of young people aged 10 to 24 in sports and physical activities. The programme works alongside external partners including the Foundation, YMCA, Youth Federation, Sport England and Street Games, these partnerships assist in providing diverse activities in areas of greatest need, address issues of obesity amongst young people and to engage young people who would not normally join sports clubs. The continued financial pressure on both local authorities and our partners has led to a number of strategic changes and challenges to ensure Sports Development have the opportunity to a vibrant and varied Youth Sport Programme. Despite this, attendance at sessions and the number of sessions delivered remains above target. Youth Sports Activities

The programme has been involved in the delivery of 9 sessions during the year that run on a weekly basis. These include Gym Access, darts, parkour, football, breakdancing, basketball and a multi sports session including Nerf battles, body weight fitness classes and boxing fitness classes. Below is a description of a few of the sessions that we deliver. Darts Academy:

The ever popular Darts Academy delivered in partnership with St Helens Darts Academy runs for 3 hours on Monday nights. Participants at the session are split into 3 groups which include beginner, intermediate and experienced abilities. The aim is to have young people of mixed ages playing against other young people of a similar ability. Average weekly attendance is 51 and the focus into the next year is to maintain this session and look at growth of the partnership with the club. Sutton Sports Hub:

Sports Development has for a number of years delivered activities for young people at Sutton Leisure Centre. This year following consultations with young people and in partnership with a local club, UC Crew a new session started called “U” Move”, more commonly known as Free Running. Free Running is the art of moving from one object to another with a series of jumps or leaps based on gymnastic movements. The session also includes Breakdancing which runs alongside each other, both activities are very much peer led allowing young people to have more say in delivery under the guidance of the volunteer coaches. Rainford Sports Hub:

This session was started in October 2018; and runs at Rainford Village Hall. Sessions include Body Weight Fitness, Boxing Fitness and Nerf sessions. Sports Development provides coaches to lead the delivery in the Body weight and Nerf Sessions, whilst working in partnership with Wildcard ABC Boxing club who deliver the boxing fitness session. Moving forward, the focus is to sustain the session and increase participation each week.

6 Impact of the Youth Sports Programme

• £8,000 was received from Youth Fed Merseyside, a youth charity that supports young people between the ages of 8 to 25. Our programme will develop skills; improve their wellbeing and team building, problem solving, sport leadership, and communication. • In April 2018 Sport England awarded £8,049 as recognition of the track record Sports Development has in delivering Youth Sport Activities. The aim was to deliver sports and activities to a total attendance of 6,000 young people between the ages of 10 - 24 years. The final figure was 8,848. • A further £2,500 was granted by Street Games to deliver the 25 week project. • 8,848 attendances at sessions, nearly 50% above targets set by funders. • 364 sessions delivered across the borough. • An increase of 36% to the number of followers on our social media platforms. • Social media platforms providing a total reach of 735,325 people. • Results from consultations with young people who attend the Youth Sports Programme sessions found:

“How did you feel before you “How did you feel after you attended the session?” attended the session?” (Average figure for all young (Average figure for all people surveyed) young people surveyed) 6.9/10 9/10

“What would you be doing if you were not at the session?”

14% 46% 26% 14% On the Streets Playing on my console Sat at Home Up to other things

7 ‘Y’ Sports Programme Background

A total of £674,935.00 was awarded by the Big Lottery and DCMS for a 3 year Youth Engagement project that uses sport as a catalyst to engage with young people from across the borough. Now in year 2 this initiative between St Helens Council Sports Development Team, YMCA St Helens and with delivery partner the Saints Community Development Foundation (SCDF) it goes from strength to strength offering young people aged 10 to 18 the opportunity to engage in free weekly sport and physical activity sessions. Delivery also includes targeted holiday provision and sessions aimed specifically at young people with additional needs. This year has also seen the appointment of two apprentices. Their role includes working with staff to organise and deliver the Youth Engagement Sessions whilst completing the StreetGames Level 2 Community Activator Coach qualification. Although the programme has a number of key staff and coaches delivering activities throughout the borough it is enhanced by the strong partnerships that have been built up with a number of local organisations to help and assist delivery of further activities to young people. Working on holiday programmes and sessions aimed at young people with additional needs has added huge value to the Y Sports Programme. The Saints brand proves a huge pull for young people engaging in these elements of delivery.

Activities

Sessions are led by qualified delivery partners and assisted by the Y Sports Staff. Gym Access and Fitness Sessions

These popular sessions make use of the YMCA Beacon Building and a number of local private gyms. On average regularly engage with 200 young people per week. Y Sports qualified instructors take a lead on these sessions and work closely with the young people to ensure that participants feel comfortable in their surroundings. Following initial inductions, fitness programmes and group fitness sessions are offered to work towards the specific goal of the young people. Sessions become young person lead and are tailored to their needs eliminating the fear factor of accessing a gym/fitness facility. 5 A-Side Football

Using Ruskin Drive Sports Ground, the sessions are aimed at inactive young people aged 10 to 18 who are not involved in local sports clubs and attract on average 35 young people per week. Female Football

Organised and delivered by Y Sports Coaches as part of extra-curricular activities at Carmel College and . The aim is to work with young females to increase participation in a physical activity giving them a new skill set. Participants have now set up a team to play fixtures.

8 Sports Specific Fitness Sessions

Coaches work with Local Community Sports Clubs to assist with the physical development of young people involved with their squads. Sports specific fitness training helps the young people become fitter as part of their training but relates all skills, drills and habits specifically to the sport. Extra-Curricular Multi Skills Sessions in schools

Y Sports has given primary schools the opportunity to engage in extra-curricular Multi Skills sessions aimed at young people in Year 6. Sessions are organised at lunch time and after school clubs which has attracted large numbers who participate in Fundamental skills sessions. Multi Sports/Skills

Multi Sports sessions have been organised to attract young people who are not necessarily interested in “Main Stream” Sports. The aim of the sessions is to give young people the opportunity a chance to experience many different activities, as part of the sessions are delivered by Y Sports Coaches. Sessions aimed at young people with additional needs

Y Sports organises and delivers a number of sessions aimed at young people aged 10 – 25 with additional needs. Sessions held at the 4F Centre Rainhill regularly attract over 20 young people and aims to engage them in Fundamental activities. Delivery partners, the Saints Community Development Foundation also organise 4 sessions per week, delivered by the Y Sports coaches assisted by foundation staff. LDRL (Learning Difficulty )

Following successful engagement in Y Sports sessions aimed at young people with additional needs, young people from across the borough have been given the opportunity to represent their town and play for the Saints LDRL Squad. Y Sports Coaches have built a very strong relationship with the young people during session delivery which has improved confidence and self-belief within the group. The squad have played a number of fixtures and festivals which culminated in a curtain raiser game against LDRL Team at the Play Off Semi Final between the two clubs.

9 The Beacon Building – Sports Hub Proposal & Usage A proposal was put forward for Y Sports to have sole use of the building for delivery 3 evenings per week. Sessions delivered include gym/fitness sessions, Football, Dads and Lads Football, Female Rugby League, Rugby Union, Multi Sports, Nerf Battles and Dance. Making use of all the facilities, the aim is for the centre to become a Youth Sports Hub for the town. Impact:

• Y Sports was shortlisted to the final 3 of the National Youth Matters Awards in the category of Best Health and Well Being Project, taking a share of 10,000 votes to reach the final held in London. • Y Sports has typically included the delivery of around 40 sessions per week. • 7 primary schools have engaged with the Multi Skills Programme. • In the first 18 months, the programme has achieved an attendance of 31,850 at its sessions engaging with 5,479 Individual young people. • The Coach Education programme successfully qualified 75 young people in a range of National Governing Body awards including, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Football, Working Equestrian, Boxing and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

10 Schools Couch to 5K Programme Background

Sports Development have over the past 4 years co-ordinated a successful Couch to 5K programme delivering 12 ten week programmes offering participants the chance to train up to 3 times per week culminating in their attendance after week 10 at the St Helens Park Run held at Victoria Park. Following on from the success of the adult 5k, St Helens Sports Development have used the same principles to introduce a junior version, the couch to 2k/3k/5k is being delivered in primary schools and high schools across St Helens with a supplementary session offered at Saints on Saturday mornings where students have the opportunity to complete their run around the iconic rugby pitch as an added incentive. Like the adult version, the junior programme culminates in a parkrun graduation at Victoria Park which was previously relocated from Bold Colliers Moss. Junior Couch 2 Programme Activity

St Helens Council Sports Development Team offered the regions first range of Couch to 2/3/5km programmes for 5-16 year olds free for all participants and delivered by qualified coaches. The schools ‘Couch to Schools’ programmes will increase pupils’ ability to run over a mile and the gradual training programmes will develop their confidence to build up their fitness in a fun and achievable way. The Schools’ Couch to 2k/3k/5k initiatives has been designed to be similar to the successful Couch to 5k programme which involves increasing periods of running and walking over a number of weeks encouraging pupils to cover either a 2k or 3k or 5k distance The programme started in September 2018 with training sessions at St Aidan’s in Billinge & Cowley International College and was very successful engaging with pupils who had not previously considered running as an activity. Following on from success in our pilot schools, the programme was launched in Rainford High School and The Sutton Academy in November 2018. In January 2019 the programme continued at The Sutton Academy for their year 9 pupils on Monday mornings and Sports Development also began additional sessions for Sutton’s cluster primaries, Eaves and Sherdley Year 2 classes on Tuesday mornings which involves over 90 pupils completing their runs around Sutton’s track. Physical activity promotes numerous health and well-being benefits, both physically and mentally and it is a priority for us to provide lifelong participation opportunities and therefore attending a Junior Park Run outside of the school environment was a key objective for the Sports Development Team and strengthens the idea of Victoria Park as a “Running Hub”.

11 Impact of the Schools Couch 2 Programme

• From September 2018 at the start of the programme through until March 2019 over 180 sessions have taken place at schools. • Nearly 4000 attendances have been recorded at the sessions. • We continue to use Saints Totally Wicked Stadium for additional Saturday morning training. • Following on from positive press releases in local news and Wish FM, St Helens Council Sports Development are receiving requests from more schools who wish to be involved with the programme. • Sports Development secured grant aid to continue the project throughout 2019. • Sutton Academy has forged stronger partnerships with the primary schools and this could be a template for future programmes. • Junior ParkRun has seen on average a 100% increase in attendance and there is a great family atmosphere developing due to whole families coming out to support their junior runner. • A number of pupils who graduated from the programme before Christmas are continually attend Junior or Adult ParkRuns and improving their PBs. (re-write) For further details contact Emma Mather [email protected]

12 Fit Forever Programme Background

The Sports Development Team have since 2011 co-ordinated an Older Peoples Activity programme as part of the Active St Helens Strategy, this also links in with the priorities of the Health and Wellbeing strategy for the borough. In 2014 the Sports Development Team secured funding to address Public Health concerns of the health related issues of inactive men aged 60 plus who were particularly at high risk of Cardiovascular disease. In addition to increasing activity levels the programme also aimed to impact on mental health and general wellbeing. Fit Forever was launched as a low level intensity programme and was devised to encourage men who did not take part in any physical activity to get involved, the programme was then extended to include women. In August 2018 two activators dedicated to the project joined the Sports Development Team and this has seen the programme go from strength to strength, with new sessions added, new participants joining all sessions and wider partnerships with other local services developed. The following provide details of some of the current provision offered.

Activities Rainford Walking Group

Autumn 2018 saw the launch of the new Rainford Walking Fitness group. This rapidly gained popularity with 20 people taking part and the group continues to grow week on week. One of the male walkers, Bob, speaks of how walking is something he has grown to look forward to immensely every Tuesday morning. He enjoys the social aspect as well as the exercise, as he expressed the social part of his life was definitely lacking; this proves to be a big boost to his self- confidence and general wellbeing. Queens Park Health & Fitness

The Friday sports activity at Queens Health & Fitness has a very consistent following. This is a two-hour session consisting of a team sport e.g. volleyball or handball, rounders etc., followed by options to do table tennis, badminton and soft tennis. The males in particular thoroughly enjoy the competitiveness of the session and the social interaction it provides. Multi-Sport

We have 4 venues for our over 60’s multi-sport sessions – Park Farm in Carr Mill, St Nicholas in Sutton, Rainhill Village Hall and Deafness Resource Centre. St Nicholas attracts large numbers, between 35 to 40 participants, with the majority of that number enjoying the table tennis. A recent recruit who likes to be called Baz, and suffers from arthritis, is enjoying the challenge of table tennis and its stimulation, which he has been missing since resting his golf clubs. He has even just purchased his own table tennis racquet, and is convinced he will be the best player within a month!

13 Rainhill Village Hall – regular attendance is between 15 and 20, offering multi sports such as table tennis, short mat bowling, badminton, boccia, or light aerobic activities such as hula hooping and stretching. Park Farm in Moss Bank offers the same activities as Rainhill with regular, loyal attendance of up to 20 per session. This group spends the second half after tea break in an incredible competitive match of boccia.

Impact of the Fit Forever Programme

The Fit Forever programme proves time after time what an essential part it plays in the lives of the participants. They have reported the following benefits: • Weight loss • Participants reported improvements in sleep patterns. • Reduction in medication, particularly around blood pressure and diabetes • Strengthening muscles, making walking and carrying shopping easier • Improvement in co-ordination, which combined with an increase in confidence, has allowed participants to live more independent lives • Improvements in mental wellbeing and a huge reduction in social isolation • Reduction in reported falls • Improvements in breathing and reductions in breathlessness, allowing participants to walk upstairs easier • In excess of 5,000 attendances. For further detail contact Gemma Harkness [email protected]

14 St. Helens Community Sport Background

Sport England awarded a total of £332,300 to the Council’s Sports Development Team to deliver ‘St Helens Community Sport’, a multi-sport, multi-club project, which aimed to engage or reintroduce inactive adults to physical activity. The project ran for 3 years from 2014, but due to its success, a further award was made for an additional 12 months delivery to September 2018. Sessions were primarily delivered by 3 activators employed through the project and were also supported by local sports clubs and community organisations. The strong partnership working developed was key to the programme’s success.

Activities Couch to 5k

Developed the most successful Couch to 5k in the North West, attracting between 250-400 participants per 10-week programme. To date, over 3,000 people have taken part, of which 95% were not physically active prior to joining and 60% were from low-income backgrounds. This project is a good example of partnership working (which is embedded in all projects). A strong relationship is in place with St Helens parkrun, where each Couch to 5k group is taken at the end of their 10-weeks, providing the next step in their long-term sustained exercise. Local running groups attend sessions to support participants, alleviate any fears re’ joining a running group and also deliver taster sessions. Links are in place with the Steve Prescott Foundation and the St Helens 10k run and Cancer Research ‘Race for Life’ event at Haydock Park. 25+ new Run Leaders have been trained to provide continued support at local running groups and clubs for all the new runners graduating from Couch to 5k. Chrysalis Centre for Change, Addaction, St. Helens Carers

Sessions including badminton, fitness, football and multi-sports were delivered for specific user groups who faced additional barriers to participation. This included women who had experienced domestic abuse or bereavement, people who had faced issues around drugs, alcohol and mental health, and those who had additional responsibilities of caring for others. Mums’ Physical Activity Programmes

Working in partnership with Mamafit, Helena Housing, Portico Vine Junior Rugby Club and Bold Rangers Junior Football Club, sessions including education, fitness, football, netball and buggy walks were delivered for pregnant, new and young mums. Disability Sport sessions for Adults with Additional Needs

Working with groups including St. Helens Coalition of Disabled People, Browns Respite Care and Safe Hands Care, multi-sport sessions have been delivered providing opportunities for adults with varying disabilities to take part in a variety of activities including boccia, new age kurling, table tennis, badminton, basketball and fitness. Activators have worked with staff to provide them with skills and knowledge to deliver additional activities outside of the Community Sport sessions.

15 Female Specific Activities

With a higher proportion of inactivity amongst females in St Helens, a number of programmes were delivered to address this issue including ‘Ladies Squashercise’ with Capitol Squash Club, community rounders, which culminated in a rounders event at the St Helens Sports Festival, Return to Netball and Walking Netball.

Beginner Fitness and Bootcamps Low impact, beginner friendly fitness sessions proved to be hugely popular. Participants who have been inactive, often have very low self-confidence and suffer anxiety in ‘sporting’ environments. They would not access a gym environment or pay a monthly membership. These fitness sessions provide a low cost and supportive environment for people to gradually build up their fitness and also develop their social support networks.

Impact

• Number of people attending sessions Target: 4,000 Achieved: 6,521 • Number of overall attendances Target: 55,544 Achieved: 67, 239 • Number of volunteers created Target: 40 Achieved: 78 • Number of volunteers trained Target: 40 Achieved: 72 (which has included Run and Walk Leader courses, Marketing and Social Media for sports clubs, First Aid, Walking Netball, football and triathlon training courses) • 80% of participants were still active 3 months on • 94% of participants reported an increase in WEMWBS scores (measuring mental health and wellbeing)

16 Inactivity Fund – St. Helens Community Sport Background

In September 2018, the Sports Development Team was the only Local Authority service to be successfully awarded £125,000 from Sport England’s Inactivity Fund. This new and exciting project is based on the award winning Community Sport programme, continuing some of its projects including Couch to 5k and beginner fitness sessions, but with a new dimension of focusing on those inactive people on a low income. The project will be delivered in partnership with St Helens Citizen’s Advice Bureau, one of the most knowledgeable local organisations in terms of understanding the complex needs faced by those on low incomes. The CAB will be able to refer service users to the various Community Sport sessions. Following local consultation, the programme has widened its scope to include providing fun and affordable opportunities for families to be active together.

Activities

• Family FUN multi-sport sessions • Couch to 5k • Beginner fitness and boot camps • Evening walking fitness (including ‘Walk and Talk’ with CAB trained advisors attending) • Badminton, tennis and netball

Impact

The yearly project targets are as follows: Number of participants engaged = 810 Number of attendances = 8,000 Number of volunteers recruited = 35 Number of people upskilled = 150 Number of training courses delivered = 10 % improvement in WEMWBS = 75% showing increase (mental health) Numbers referred to other services = 85% % still active after 3 months = 75% % still active after 6 months = 70% % still active after 12 months = 60%

17 What we also deliver 2018 St Helens Sports Festival Background

The 2018 Sports Festival raised the bar of community sport to a new level with the introduction of a Year 6 Schools Sports Festival on Friday 29th June followed by the community and club activities over the Saturday and Sunday. Introduced in 2011 the Sports Festival has grown year on year in both stature and reputation and seen by many as the largest multi-sports festival in the region. It also gives the opportunity for many participants to play at the borough’s premier outdoor sports venue at Ruskin Drive.

Activities

The inaugural Year 6 Celebration Festival took place at Ruskin Drive on Friday 29th June as part of the wider St Helens Sports Festival. The event was a celebration of the engagement of our primary schools over the year and a final goodbye to their Year 6s before they moved onto their new high schools. Almost 500 Year 6 pupils from 15 schools took part in five different sports including Girls Football, Boccia, Touch Rugby, Cricket and Futsal. Each sport had a winner as well as there being an overall Year 6 St Helens Champions through taking into account every single point, every win, every loss and everyone’s performance ensuring that everyone was contributing to the success of their school. The standard of competition was outstanding across the board and highlighted just what talented young people we have here in St Helens. Leaders from De La Salle were vital in contributing to the success of the day, without them the day would not have been able to go ahead. St Julie’s took home the title of Year 6 Champions but were pushed all of the way by St Aidan’s who finished second and St Bartholomew’s who finished third. The weekend then saw a variety of sports taking place for all ages including. Running for over 7 hours each day, sports including football, rugby and cricket attracted over 6,000 participants and spectators. Liverpool District Cricket League used the occasion to host a Merseyside v Manchester Youth Representative match. Sports Development have responsibility for organising the infrastructure at the venue with the clubs taking responsibility for the structuring of competitions, invitations to competitors and running the events on the day. Each year a regular army of volunteers support the event over the two days and without their dedication and countless hours of work, the festival would not have the success or positive outcomes. Once again there was increased usage of the various social media platforms which provided an ongoing commentary of the competitions and results over the whole weekend. A particular success was the use filming of the Year 6 schools event.

18 Impact

• The first schools’ and community festival to take place within the borough. • Usage of the facility continues to demonstrate Ruskin Drive as a premier venue, with the total usage throughout the year in excess of 100,000. • The 3 day event delivers the largest multi sports festival within the region • Raising of the profile’s venue to a wider audience.

“Y” Sports Events Background

Sustainability is a high priority of the programme as we look to the future. Fund Generating events have been organised to assist in the match funding and sustainability of Y Sports. Events have included the Y Sports Golf Day in partnership with the Steve Prescott Foundation, Inaugural St Helens Colour Run in partnership with the Saints Community Development Foundation (SCDF) and the Inaugural Sleep Easy Event. Colour Run

The First Y Sports, St Helens Colour Run took place Sunday 23rd September 2018 and planned to raise funds for the partners to allow continued delivery of activities and delivering the first type of this event in the borough. The event was specifically aimed at none runners and families rather than the traditional “Runners” Race and therefore the distance was set at 4k. We also wanted to utilise the landmarks around the town centre including the World of Glass and Saints Stadium.

Impact

• Inaugural event makes this a high profile event for the programme and partners. • Over 400 participants including runners, walkers, families and young people taking part in the event. • The Colour Run will build as an event year on year and become a permanent fixture in the calendar of events for the town. • £2500 was raised from the event

19 Golf Day

The Y Sports Golf day in partnership with the Steve Prescott Foundation again took place at Houghwood Golf Club. 18 teams of 4 took part in the annual event generating funds for the Youth Sports Programme, Y Sports and The Steve Prescott Foundation. Impact

• Raised the profile of the YMCA as a major partner • The event generated approximately £5,000 for Y Sports and Steve Prescott Foundation. • The event is now established within the local golfing calendar.

St. Helens Santa Dash Background

Building upon the successful Couch to 5k programme, the Sports Development Team wanted to provide a fun opportunity for beginners to take part in a ‘running’ event. Held in the borough’s green flag award-winning Victoria Park, the event saw 400 runners in Santa hats, and even Christmas fancy dress outfits, to take part in the 4k fun run from which profits will go to the Mayor of St Helens’ chosen charities; The Steve Prescott Foundation, and St Helens Hospital Diabetes Centre. From 6 weeks old to 98 years, the event provided a fun and festive way for families to get active together. Impact

• Potential to become a regular event in the borough’s events programme. • Raised the profile of “Fun” running and raising monies for local charities. • High percentage of new runners using the park. For further information please email Sports Development at [email protected]

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