The SPAA Experience
The Winchester District SPAA is a strategic partnership representing those involved in sport and physical activity throughout the Winchester District.
SPAA members include Hampshire Primary Care Trust, Winchester City Council, Sport Hampshire and Isle of Wight, DC Leisure, Hampshire County Council, Winchester Volunteer Centre, Forestry Commission, Winchester Community Safety Partnership and representatives from schools and further and higher education in the district.
Recently recognised as an example of good practice by Sport England the partnership is very much focussed on delivery. It has been working towards making a difference over the last year working on actions to increase participation in sports and physical activity, encourage more volunteers and coaches and improve access to sports facilities.
The Winchester District SPAA is also one of 6 Community Sports Networks in the South East Region who are classified as ‘Effective and Embedded’ by Sport England.
Actions for this year include establishing a volunteer database for sport, creating a sport and physical activity database for clubs and facilities, a multi sport taster event and creating a multi sports environment at the University Ground, Bar End.
The SPAA recently paid host to a well attended Olympic event which has resulted in an action plan for the district to be delivered by enthusiastic individuals over the next 5 years. The group will meet shortly to finalise the Winchester District Olympic Plan and decide who will lead on each action and how the plan will be resources.
The SPAA has a rather nice logo which can be viewed on the web site along with all their current work on www.wdsp.co.uk/spaa The site is simple in design and provides a range of useful information and resources not only useful to SPAA members but also to the wider sporting community. Minutes of meetings, strategies, action plans, contacts for sports clubs, news and special events are listed with the ability to download documents of interest.
Stuart Barlow, SPAA chair states
‘I have really enjoyed my first year as chair of the Winchester SPAA. Our focus to date has been getting things done and I hope that things will continue in this way. It is a very exciting time for us in the lead up to the Olympics. Together, I hope that we can make a real difference to sporting participation in the Winchester District’
The partnership is currently working on its action plan for next year and it is hoped that this work will make a real difference to the amount of people who participate in sport and physical activity young and old. Currently only 25% of the Winchester District take part in sport for 30 minutes 3 times a week. The SPAA hopes to increase this figure significantly through its work in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics which should hopefully motivate everyone to get a bit more active.
Published: 30 October 2007