College Launch Fitness Campaign with Sport England Grant

Bishop Auckland College is launching a new campaign aimed at increasing participation in sport and fitness in south west Durham after securing a £70,000 grant from Sport England.
The college was one of 67 across the country to be successful in its bid for a share of the second round of Sport England’s £4m FE Activation Fund.
A new sports development officer will join the college in September and their remit will be to increase participation in sport and fitness related activities and create new links with local sports clubs and associations.
The funding will also provide investment and resources to further enhance and develop sporting enrichment opportunities for college students over the next three years.
Katy Graham, Learning Area Manager for Sport at Bishop Auckland College, said: “This is great news – a huge boost for our efforts to increase participation in sport and fitness activities across South West Durham.
“The Sport England grant is funding a new sports development post, a range of new activities and an awareness campaign aimed at our own students, school leavers and sports clubs in the wider community.”
Sport England CEO Jennie Price added: “Our investment in further education and sixth form colleges is vital if we are to get more young people playing sport. By investing in these 67 colleges, we’re helping to make sport more accessible, more attractive and more convenient to young people as they move on from school to college.”
The campaign is one of a number of new initiatives the college is leading to increase participation in sport and fitness. In September it is launching the region’s first ever apprenticeship in school sport. The two year School Sport and PE Apprenticeship has been designed to enable schools to grow and train their own staff as part of a Government drive to increase the PE expertise in primary schools. The first apprentice will be Luke Elms, 19, of Willington, who has been hired by Peases West Primary School in Billy Row, Crook, to help run its PE department.
The college is also helping international bodybuilder and personal trainer Wendy McCready find a fitness apprentice to assist her in running her new gym Wendy McCready’s Planet Fitness in Morton Park, Darlington.