Now in its second year, Shepway Sports Trust is working with accredited sporting partners and associated local clubs to provide the infrastructure for increased sporting activity.

Starting from the age of just 2, right through to the retired generation and everything in between, Shepway Sports Trust are seeing an increase in participation across the local area.

An initiative of this nature is unique in offering multiple sporting pathways that fully reflect the motivations and aspirations of everyone who takes part in a sporting activity, no matter the age or the reasons for wanting to be involved.

For Trevor Minter OBE DL, Chair of the Board of Trustees, the work undertaken by the Shepway Sports Trust and their partners in such a short period of time has been nothing short of remarkable:

“The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust has been involved in supporting sports clubs and facilities locally for many years.”

“The most notable project was the funding and building of the Three Hills Sports Park in Folkestone as a centre of excellence for hockey, cricket, netball and more recently running.”

“Funding was also provided to major facilities in Hawkinge, Sellindge and Dymchurch as well as direct support to clubs such as Folkestone Rugby and the Saints Basketball Club.”

“In conversations with those involved with these organisations we were impressed with the range of enthusiasm, expertise and commitment of volunteers who made sure sport happened at all levels.”

“We were also inspired by local sporting talent such as Josh Kennedy, now one of the Sports Trust’s ambassadors, who has just recently turned professional in boxing.”

“Meanwhile through engagement with education we were conscious of the needs and limitations for sport in schools.”

“A series of meetings with clubs, schools and sporting bodies took place and it was concluded that an intermediary organisation was needed to maximise the existing assets and facilitate the links between clubs and schools to the benefit of both.”

“This led to the launch of the Shepway Sports Trust in October 2013 with full time employees and an excellent board of trustees which I have the honour to chair.”

“The bulk of the funding comes from the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust but we have also learnt that there are many other funding pots to apply to and success breeds success.”

“The small team led by Laurence Hickmott have exceeded all our expectations and have been welcomed by schools and clubs alike who clearly need this extra bit of help to organise and match resources with needs.”

“A key part of our ethos was to encourage a genuine competitive philosophy and a challenging fixture list so standards and skills could rise.”

“We also support beginners and grass roots sport to help people overcome the obstacles to entry.”

“This all fits the wider aims of the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust to make Shepway a better place to live work and bring up our children and it is a growing group, many of them volunteers who are helping to make that happen.”

“I am very pleased with what has been achieved in a short space of time. A limited amount of core funding has unlocked tremendous enthusiasm and commitment for the benefit of all. Despite this being about sport there are no losers!”

Jack Windle, an SST Apprentice is one of those to benefit from the support in the local area and he’s pleased to have been involved and it’s helped his sporting career:

“Since I have had the opportunity to be an apprentice for the Shepway Sports Trust my sporting career has come on leaps and bounds.”

“The Trust have given me the opportunity to coach in the community and work in a local secondary school, Pent Valley, which has helped me gain confidence and also improve my coaching skills.”

“It has been an amazing opportunity for me as they have helped me gain qualifications as well as getting into and around the local community working with the children and pupils to help improve their sporting skills, and help them gain an interest In sport.”

“I have also had the chance to set up a leadership academy system within the local schools to give the students the chance to gain qualifications, which has helped me learn the other side of sport and helped me add to my skills set.”

“The Trust is a pleasure to work for and it’s a great set up to be working in, the other members are friendly and warm and I’m very grateful for the chance I have been given with them. I look forward to my future career with the Shepway Sports Trust.”

Both historically and in recent times, Shepway District has produced a renowned ‘home grown’ crop of professional and international sporting representatives across a whole spectrum of sports as well as working at grass roots level with the resources available to it.

This reinforced the role that sport can play at all levels within Shepway and the overall programme provided by Shepway Sports Trust leverages that in a joined-up way for the whole community, either bringing to the fore the next generation of sporting stars from the area or helping more people to become involved in sport and enjoy all the associated benefits that it brings.

Under the specific tag lines of Taking Part….. (school sport), Link Up….. (local clubs), Get Involved….. (community experiences) & Sign Up….. (sports training and qualifications) – it profiles and promotes what the ethos of the overall programme is about for the whole community.

Laurence Hickmott, Project Director captures it best in saying “the power of sport in connecting a community is immense. It transcends almost everything and our role is to leverage existing resources, link them up and create a landscape that makes it easy, fun & most of all, enjoyable for individuals to take part in sport.”

“At the top end it offers pathways into elite programmes at district, county, regional and national levels for our local talent pool of sportspeople, no matter what their age or background but equally for those just Taking Part….. or wanting to Get Involved….. a clear pathway of what’s available to them is provided.”

“Ultimately the success of the initiative will be seen in more people playing sport and increased numbers of qualified coaches delivering sport which will be reinvested within Shepway for the current and future generations”

The connectivity of the programme has already realised the benefits in enabling more children to play competitive and recreational sport in primary and secondary schools through the introduction of new elite and development leagues linked to the designated focus sports of cricket, rugby, hockey & basketball, together with the creation of many new recreational sports clubs within schools that are delivered by qualified coaches within Shepway Sports Trust and from the premier local clubs linked to those sports.

Another person to have seen the benefits the Shepway Sports Trust have brought to the area is Mark Hinton, Folkestone Saints Head Coach, and he believes it has helped create the right background for everyone to excel:

“The vibrancy and buzz around the whole competition for the players, teachers and parents was superb.”

“It showed how much enthusiasm there is for the sport in the local area and for having competitions between the different schools.”

“Having 2 leagues for the different performance levels ensured everyone enjoyed the occasion and took away great memories – long may these events continue and from a local club perspective, we are delighted to support them as it helps to attract new playing members to our club”

Another recent example of this has been the secondary school swimming gala held at Folkestone Sports Centre where teams were represented from across the spectrum, bringing together swimmers of all standards for the opportunity of representing their school.

These weekly leagues and other events are made possible through the triangular partnership between schools (facilities), clubs (coaches/volunteers) and Shepway Sports Trust (coach transportation to/from venues) that combine to make these leagues possible.

This is a great example of utilising existing resources in a coordinated way for a truly value-adding purpose.

A key ingredient in the overall Get Involved….. element of the programme is to create opportunities for family based sporting activities.

Through the partnership with CATCH – Children Actively Taking part in sport, Contributing & Having fun – children between the ages of 2–11 are able to enjoy family orientated sessions that are 100% active, 100% of the time.

The success of these weekly indoor sessions that are held in a safe and fully inclusive environment has led to the introduction of more CATCH based centres within Shepway for more children and parents/guardians to enjoy sport.

The provision of these centres also Link Up….. with local clubs as it offers a clear pathway for children and adults into the connected clubs for those that want to play the sport more regularly or want to develop their skills further in that area.

The weekly sessions also provide the perfect environment for young and enthusiastic coaches to ‘ply their trade’, putting into practice the theory based learning gained from accredited courses under the guidance and tutelage of qualified coaches from CATCH as well as the local clubs themselves.

Stuart Bell, CATCH Director and one of the sporting ambassadors for the region has seen the benefits of the overall programme first hand:

“Being in a privileged position as a sporting ambassador I have attended and hosted many Inside Sporting Dreams assemblies within primary schools and the enthusiasm for sport in the younger generations is huge.”

“It appears to me that everyone wants to be involved in sport and that can only be a good thing for them as individuals and society as a whole.”

“I am proud to be a part of what Shepway Sports Trust are doing as even in a short space of time I have seen barriers to sport being removed with new initiatives launched and importantly for me, more young coaches are coming through the system which has all been made possible by targeted funding and the platform for young coaches to ply their trade within school and community linked programmes”

Each of the new initiatives has its own identity to appeal to the demographic audience its intended for.

Emilie Moffat, Project Assistant explains: “one of the key age groups that we wanted to engage with was 11-25 year olds who perhaps historically felt that the environment wasn’t ‘cool’ enough for them to feel at ease in sports clubs and centres.”

“In launching PULSE specifically targeted at that age category, we firstly provided the right environment for ’teenagers’ and young adults and then offered them a variety of sporting activities for them to choose from during weekly Wednesday and Saturday sessions at Three Hills Sports Park.”

“This approach has seen well over 200 new people make use our first class facilities and Get Involved….. in sport based activities on a regular weekly basis which also encourages new friendships and young people signing up for more sport via their local clubs”

The production line for future sporting stars looks in equally good hands with Shepway Sports Trust, both from a playing and coaching perspective.

Talent pools are being identified within all the focus sports, offering those individuals access to the right coaching and development to assist them in their aspirations to become one of Shepway’s sporting stars and possibly one of our future ambassadors who can support the next generation of talent coming through.

Geraint Jones MBE, former Kent & England cricketer and another sporting ambassador for Shepway Sports Trust recognises the role that local ambassadors play:

“I know from experience the importance of having an inspirational figure to look up to and fulfilling this role is important to me.”

“Whilst I’m nearing the end of my professional career, many from the local area across a whole host of sports are starting out on that pathway and Shepway Sports Trust are leading the way in providing the right platform for success – both now and in the future”

This initiative is the first of its kind on this scale and is attracting many admiring glances from schools, clubs, community representatives and local dignitaries, some of whom recently attended and wanted to Get Involved… in the launch of the PULSE sessions on a Saturday evening at Three Hills Sports Park.

With levels of interest and participation increasing significantly, so the profile of the programme increases with it.

Local press and radio are now connected into the inspiring success of the overall programme, keen to play their role in ensuring the many good news stories are heard right across Shepway and surrounding areas.

Councillor Jenny Hollingsbee SDC Cabinet Member for Communities is just one of those such people that has seen first hand the success of Pulse:

“I joined the first session of the new initiative “Pulse” where over 70 young people from the age of 11 were able to experience a range of activities.”

“They were also treated to a professional display of BMX manoeuvres and Football Skills and were able to join coaching and practice sessions in each following the displays.”

“The excitement of the young people was clear to see and I am sure these sessions on a Wednesday and Saturday from 4-6 pm will grow in popularity and encourage the participation in physical activity. I particularly enjoyed tri-volley and the Shape Up game on the X- Box One”

Another person to have seen the benefits first hand is James Sheridan, 4x British Champion, 1x European Cup Champion, 2nd European Championships, 3 x EBTC Champion and 1x Indoor British Champion and the Ambassador is delighted to be part of Shepway Sports Trust:

“For the last year I have been a sports ambassador working with the Shepway Sports Trust. We have delivered inspirational ambassador assemblies within several schools throughout the district, showcasing how the sport Bike Trials has impacted on my life and how my journey within the sport has developed over time.”

“Working together with the Shepway Sports Trust we are now able to offer the young people the chance to try and access free coaching sessions within the sport Bike Trials.”

“This is a chance for me to share my knowledge and experience with the young people of Shepway and hopefully open up the doors for more young people to access this exciting sport.”

“The past year has been an amazing experience and an honour that I have been given the opportunity to inspire young people to take part in the sport I am so passionate about.”

“I am looking forward to what the future brings for both my biking and the work I do at Shepway Sports Trust.”

KSN will follow and report back on the progress of this highly credible sporting story that is unfolding for the whole community of Shepway and who knows……we might just be reporting on a future County sporting champion in the future who started their own sporting journey through this initiative!