News from Sheffield Labour

Sport England provides £10m for ‘Active Universities’

Blomfield: New funding for University Sport will improve health and strengthen Sheffield’s reputation as the UK’s City of Sport.

Paul Blomfield, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Sheffield Central, today welcomed an announcement by Sport England of £10 million new funding for an ‘Active Universities’ project to get more students playing sport.

Mr Blomfield joined Ben Bradshaw MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who announced the funding at Sheffield Hallam University Sports Union along with top Olympic athlete Heather Fell, Gold Medal Winner in Modern Pentathlon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Paul Blomfield has a long track record of improving sporting facilities and participation in Sheffield. He was responsible for Sheffield’s major sports facilities as Chair of Sheffield City Trust and is on the Board of Usport, which runs sport at Sheffield University.

Attending the launch Paul Blomfield said:

“This new investment from Sport England is extremely welcome. Students who play sport at university are likely to carry on playing after university, so initiatives to make it easier to get involved with sport will help to develop healthy habits and lifestyles.

“Our two fantastic universities can also use the opportunity to strengthen their sports programmes and build Sheffield’s reputation as the UK’s City of Sport. Britain’s Olympic legacy will hopefully be a more active, healthier nation and our universities are central to this. Who knows, we could have future Olympic gold medallists at our universities right now!”

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Ben Bradshaw MP said:

“We want to encourage young people to play sport for life, not give up on it the minute they leave school. This fantastic investment will inspire thousands up and down the country to keep playing and help thousands more discover a new found passion for sport.

“I am sure universities will use this investment to come up with exciting and innovative ways to get their students playing sport. This will help us deliver a lasting legacy in sports participation from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”