FIA Backs School-Club Partnerships

The FIA has increased the industry's profile in the education sector by sponsoring a Youth Sport Trust Development Award at the 2006 School and Sport Partnerships' conference. The Award (High quality school-club links) specifically recognises the achievement of schools which have increased the proportion of young people moving into high quality sport, dance and multi-skill clubs.

"The education community is the perfect environment for the FIA to promote the variety of provisions centres/clubs now offer young people" says Fiona Bothwell of the FIA. "The positive impact that we, as an industry, can have on the health of future generations is immense. School partnerships provide a supportive, credible context in which we can show young people that fitness clubs and centres play a valuable role in maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle."

Neil Wilson, The Youth Sport Trust's Corporate Partnership Manager, said: "The 2006 Development Awards have been a great success. We have seen a number of high quality applications relating to school-club links, demonstrating the exciting and innovative work being undertaken in schools across the country."

Olympians Kelly Holmes, Duncan Goodhew and Brennon Dowrick presented the Awards at the conference, organised by the Youth Sport Trust to tackle health and obesity issues in children and young people. Held on 15 and 16 November in Telford, the conference was attended by over 1,000 key decision makers in school sport.