Clubmark has good reason to celebrate as the number of licensed County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) doubles, bringing the total to six! 2008 has got off to a great start with 3 more CSPs recently awarded a license to accredit Clubmark - Living Sport, sportessex and Lancashire Sport Partnership.

If a club wants to work towards Clubmark, but can't because its National Governing Body (NGB) doesn't have a license, then these licensed CSPs can now assess and award Clubmark. This means that clubs are not at a disadvantage simply because their NGB is not licensed.

This includes sports such as Handball, Ice Skating, Life Saving and many others. As part of the licensing process, three pilot clubs have achieved Clubmark accreditation. Congratulations go to Colchester Gladiators American Football Club, Cambridge Korfball Club and Coppull Junior Crown Green Bowling Club.

The variety of these sports clubs demonstrates how CSPs are helping to expand the reach of quality sports clubs for our children and young people.

These latest CSPs follow in the footsteps of neighbours in the East (Suffolk Sport) and the North West (Greater Sport and Merseyside Sport); two regions that are leading the way in terms of support for the Sport England mark of high quality junior clubs.

Ellen Falkner, Development Manager for Sport England East, has been instrumental in raising the profile of Clubmark across the region. She said, "As a region we are committed to increasing the number of Clubmark clubs and improving the support and benefits for accredited clubs and those working towards the national standard."

And with many other CSPs around the country close to achieving a license, such as Oxfordshire, Kent and Cumbria, the target of licensing 15 CSPs by September 2008 is sure to be achieved.