POSTED: Friday January 30th 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mayor secures £15.5m to boost grass roots sport in capital

The Mayor’s commitment is central to his key aim to increase participation in sport

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson today delivered on the personal commitment he made at the Beijing Games to provide investment of £15.5m in grassroots sport in the capital to improve the health and well being of all Londoners.

The Mayor’s commitment is central to his key aim to increase participation in sport and to end health, tackle growing levels of obesity and help create motivated and responsible individuals in the capital. He has therefore, for the first time, exercised his statutory power to direct the London Development Agency to allocate £15.5 million from its budget over three years.  This investment will provide clarity and certainty to underpin delivery of the Mayor’s Olympics Sports Legacy Plan currently being prepared by his Sports Commissioner, Kate Hoey, in partnership with Sport England and supported by sports governing bodies, London boroughs and the private sector.

The Mayor said:

“The success of the 2012 Games must not just be judged on the regeneration benefits of the new homes, jobs and skills that will be delivered.  In years to come we must be able to look back and see how we used this once in a lifetime opportunity to massively increase sporting participation and activity in the capital and consequently improved the health and well being of Londoners.

“I am proud of the progress the LDA has made under new leadership and fully support its achievement in refocusing its priorities on the delivery of jobs, skills and the capital’s economy. However, my commitment to increase sports participation and the health and well being of Londoners necessitates this exceptional circumstance in directing LDA funds which I am confident will be matched by our partners helping to develop my Sports Legacy Plan. I believe it is entirely appropriate for a small proportion of the LDA\‘s total resources to be used for this purpose.”

“I know Kate Hoey is bringing together some excellent ideas and initiatives and this funding will ensure we can start delivering this ambitious plan as soon as it is agreed. I now look to all those sporting and other bodies, with a shared interest in our goals, to match fund the investment we are committing to create a sea change in the take up of sports in this great city forever.”

The investment will eventually top £30 million when those other sports, public and private sector bodies supporting the plan provide match funding, unlocking a crucial stream of money to promote sport in London. The benefits of boosting sports participation and activity will help support young Londoners, giving them greater choice and opportunities and steering them away from crime and anti-social behaviour . It will also provide new skills and jobs and the Mayor strongly believes that promoting sport plays a major part in producing a more motivated, contented and effective workforce.

Key aims of the Plan are to significantly boost participation by Londoners of all ages in grassroots sports and ensure there is a real lasting sporting legacy from the 2012 Games to make London an even better place to live and work. The plan will engage with and build on the exciting projects and partnerships that are already ongoing in London as well as providing new, long-term, sustainable solutions to the problems of inactivity that are leading to obesity and health inequalities in the city.

Kate Hoey said:

\“I am delighted that the Mayor is taking further steps to honour his commitment to increasing participation in sport as a consequence of hosting the 2012 Games. This funding will underpin the work that we will set out in the Sports Legacy Plan. The Plan will show how we will invest in a sporting legacy for every single Londoner. It will act as a catalyst for driving forward a sustained increase in participation across the city. We have three years left and today is a major step in the right direction.\”

Olympic gold medallist, Darren Campbell MBE, said:    

\“It is fantastic to see the Mayor making this commitment to sport in London. Increasing participation was right at the heart of our bid to host the 2012 Games and it’s great someone is doing something serious about it. I have seen with my own eyes some of the fantastic work going on at the grass-roots in London and I know that with the right support, great things can be achieved.\”

Ends

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Keywords · London 2012 · Mayor of London Boris Johnson

Name: Richard Brookes
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