We take a look at David Parry, Club Support Officer, at Fylde Borough Council.

As Club Support Officer for Fylde Borough Council David works with sports clubs from over thirty different sports. Seventeen clubs in Fylde have achieved Clubmark with many more working towards. David assists clubs by helping them to understand the issues surrounding accreditation and guiding them in the right direction, identifying funding streams and advising how to establish better links with schools, clubs, facility providers and their NGBs.

Previously David had managed a lottery funded multipurpose sports facility which had a commitment to delivering quality community sports programmes in several sports. Clubmark provided an excellent independent guideline for both the facility and the sports clubs it was partnering with, to work towards accreditation and helped ensure the delivery of a quality sporting experience.

Having been an active participant of various sports clubs throughout his life David volunteers in local sports events and is currently leading the tennis club where he is a member through the Clubmark process. As a parent, his children are involved in a sports club which achieved Clubmark sometime ago.

David's thoughts on Clubmark:

"Participants, parents and facility providers now have a nationally adopted kite mark which they should look for to ensure the sporting activity of their choice is following best practice. All sports clubs should look to bench mark themselves to the Clubmark guidelines as a way of developing their club structure and their activities."

For more information about becoming accredited through Fylde Borough Council please visit http://www.fylde.gov.uk/leisure-culture-and-tourism/sports/sports-club-development/