Press Release: New sports trust aims to make Leicester 'most active city' - 15th March 2011

BIG names from the world of sport will be among the guests at the VIP launch of a new body set up to represent the city’s sporting interests and aspirations to be held on Thursday (17th March) in the new football pavilion at New College Leicester.

The Leicester Sports Partnership Trust has been formed to support the development of sporting talent within the city and the use of sport as a tool to promote greater social inclusion. The event at New College will also see the launch of the partnership’s first action plan. This sets out the trust's priorities for the next two years and how it aims to create a legacy for the city from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Former England rugby union star and Leicester Tigers legend Rory Underwood MBE will take the helm as chair of the new board. The 12-strong board also includes representatives from the city’s professional sports clubs, Leicester City Council, Leicester City NHS and the commercial sector.

Rory Underwood said: “I am proud to accept the role of chair of the new Leicester Sports Partnership Trust and excited to be launching our first action plan. It's main aim is to create a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and we have been working closely with partners across the city to establish the trust’s guiding principals. “We believe that sport can be key to improving health and wellbeing and raising aspirations and educational achievement for everyone in Leicester. We want to embed sport in the life of the city in a way which will benefit future generations. By working in greater partnership than ever before, we believe we can help make Leicester the most active city in the UK.”

Representing the city’s major sporting clubs on the board will be Lee Hoos, chief executive of Leicester City Football Club; David Clayton, managing director of Leicester Tigers; Mike Siddall, chief executive of Leicestershire County Cricket Club and Kevin Routledge, managing director of Leicester Riders Basketball Club.

Leicester City Council will be represented by its chief executive Sheila Lock, director of children's services Rachel Dickinson, cabinet lead for culture and leisure Cllr Rob Wann. Cllr Wann said: "This is a very exciting development for the future of sport of physical activity in Leicester. I'm delighted to be involved in the Leicester Sports Partnership Trust. This is a board with real vision and ambition for the future of sport in Leicester."

The remaining members of the board will be by Deborah Watson, director of public health at NHS Leicester and Leicester City Council, Bill Morris, director of Leicester Secondary Education Improvement Partnership, Shahid Sheikh, managing director of Clifton Packaging Group, Mike Kapur, director of Signum Corporate Communications and Wayne Allsopp, strategy lead officer for PE and sport at Leicester City Council.

Sheila Lock said: “I am really pleased that Leicester City Council is a part of this exciting and forward-looking sports partnership. The positive links between sport and physical activity and people's health and well-being are clear and we want everyone in the city to have the opportunity to benefit from this. "By looking to new ways of working together with partners across the city, and sharing our resources and expertise, we believe we have a far greater chance of delivering the many aims within our action plan than one organisation working alone."

Among the guests already confirmed to be attending the launch event are Leicester City Football Club manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, local hero Rendall 'The Boxing Binman' Munroe and Leicester City Council cabinet lead for children and schools, Cllr Vi Dempster. The Leicester Sports Partnership Trust action plan will be updated on a quarterly basis.

View the latest version of the Leicester Sports Partnership Trust Action Plan >>

Press enquiries to:

Jon Evans
Press office
Leicester City Council
Tel: 0116 252 7926

Jon.Evans@leicester.gov.uk