Sport participation uptake set to rise in Wales
· Maintaining the momentum created by the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the focus of a key conference to be held on September 26th at the Millennium Stadium on behalf of the Chartered Institute for the management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
· Julian Leybourne - Chair of CIMSPA Wales warns that the sport and physical activity sector must be ready to capitalise from the games to drive participation rates.
A record number of Top sporting chiefs have already registered on this event and we expect lots more who are being brought together to prepare for an influx in people taking up sport post Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The professional body for sport, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), is holding a unique conference in the flagship Wales Millennium Stadium, in Cardiff, next month. They are uniting to discuss ways in which they can empower their workforce to ensure more and more people embrace sport following the Games.
Julian Leybourne, Chair of CIMSPA Wales, said it is crucial the sporting industry is ready for the ‘exciting’ challenges that lie ahead in the sector, following on from the Olympics since the legacy will only have a finite time to capatilise on this opportunity.
Mr Leybourne said: “There has never been a stronger focus on sport than there is now. This is the sporting sector’s opportunity to shine as we envisage thousands of people across Wales taking up sport and physical activity following on from the magic of the Games and 'Our Greatest Team'.
We want to create a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Games and in order to do this we need to ensure our customers, new and old, are given the best customer service experience they can get and that can only be achieved through investment, innovative leadership, change management and customer excellence which are the key themes at the heart of this event.
We have decided to hold this special event to look at ways in which we can improve customer experiences. It is a very exciting time for the sporting industry in Wales.”
The World-class stadium is currently being used by LOCOG to host a number of Olympic football matches including TeamGB's tightrope quarter-final match held on Saturday 4 August led by Wales own Ryan Giggs.
The seminar, titled ‘Leading People and Understanding Customers’, will see a number of high profile speakers in attendance. This includes Dr Paul Thomas from Sheffield Hallam University and Andrew Kerr, Chief Operating Officer at Cardiff Council and Owner at Kerr Strategic Consultancy Ltd amongst a host more.
The event is being held on Wednesday September 26 from 8.45am at the Presidents Lounge, Wales Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
For more information log on to www.cimspa.co.uk
ENDS
Notes to editors:
• Launched in 2011, CIMSPA is the professional development body for the workforce of the UK’s sport and physical activity sector.
• CIMSPA provides leadership, professional development and a single unified voice for the sector. It also aims to drive standards of professional practice, which in turn will support increased participation, outcomes and contribution to UK plc.
· Sebastian Coe is a companion of CIMSPA.
In accepting his honour Lord Coe said, “I am honoured to become a companion of CIMSPA, which marks a real milestone for the sports and physical activity sector in the UK. By bringing together the skills and expertise of everyone in the industry, we will be in an incredibly strong position to ensure that the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be felt throughout the UK for many years to come.”
• CIMSPA was awarded Chartership status by the Royal Privy Council in January 2012.