News

Here comes the summer…

We have heard from many Clubmark clubs up and down the country, sharing how they make best use of the opportunities that the summer holidays bring.

From hosting summer camps to supporting regional sporting events, here is just a selection of the many activities that Clubmark clubs are involved with...

Windsor Rugby all set for the summer...

Windsor Rugby achieved the RFU Seal of Approval and the Sport England Clubmark in 2004. The club has a packed programme over the summer, covering family events such as "The Big Match", touch rugby fixtures, supporting the GoPlay Rugby campaign and the successful summer camps hosted in conjunction with Socious Sports.

Newcastle (Staffs) Volleyball Club dodge the rain

On Saturday 16th June Newcastle (Staffs) Volleyball Club hosted a "Let's Play Volleyball" Festival at Madeley High School. Despite the terrible weather forecast and circling thunderstorms they managed to get a full day of Volleyball played outdoors!

'2012' Promoting Rowing in London

The opening day of the London 2012 Roadshow was held on Friday 15th June at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, the dramatic backdrop for the Olympic Shooting events in 2012.

The visit by the London 2012 Bus coincided with a Sportathon organised for young people in Greenwich. The event was supported by Peter Smith and Peter Rouse of the 'Clubmark' accredited Trafalgar Rowing Centre with representatives of staff from its partner schools.

Spotlight on ... Pete Ackerley

Pete Ackerley is Head of Development at the England and Wales Cricket Board, responsible for the delivery of Building Partnerships (Cricket's Strategic Plan), with clubs as a key focus. Pete took up this post in July 2005 having worked for the England and Wales Cricket Board since 1999.

Case Studies

“Volleyball? Yeah I played that on holiday in Spain, but it’s boring!”

This is the attitude that we have faced in Southampton in January. Team Southampton is a new exciting volleyball club which achieved Clubmark in March this year. Our philosophy as club and for volleyball in general is to develop the interest of children into playing volleyball.

How to Increase Asian girls participation into swimming?

Survive and Save Club, based in Harrow, Middlesex is an accredited Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) Swim21 Teaching Clubmark Club, Approved Training centre and Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS) Approved Training centre for the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification providing learn to swim opportunities and converting swimmers into lifesavers to save lives.

Operational update

Clubmark - a robust scheme

Clubmark is now widely recognised as the quality accreditation scheme for junior sports clubs across the country. Licensing for NGBs and CSPs, external verification for clubs and national assessor training contribute to this robust accreditation process.

Over the last 12 months all the NGBs involved in Clubmark have reviewed their individual schemes to ensure that they comply with a required minimum operating framework.

It is particularly pleasing when NGBs take a pro-active approach to this. One such organisation is the LTA, due to re-launch Tennis Clubmark very soon to ensure that grass roots clubs contribute to the Blueprint for British Tennis (Tennis' Strategic Plan).

Sophie Keats, Club Development Manager, said recently, "We know that there are hundreds of great tennis clubs across Britain delivering fantastic tennis opportunities to members and non members alike. We have re-developed Tennis Clubmark to recognise and reward clubs for the important contribution they make in developing tennis players and to British Tennis in general. This will help to drive standards up further."

So, despite the Wimbledon down pours interrupting play and lack of British players qualifying for the second week of the competition, the LTA is undeterred, re-launching Tennis Clubmark to recognise the significant effort made by clubs up and down the country.

The revised Tennis Clubmark will provide a framework that will support clubs to help themselves and ensure that best practice is reflected. Tennis clubs will be able to begin the process of securing Tennis Clubmark with sport specific resources available from August.

Summary of accredited clubs

Congratualtions to the clubs accredited in June...