Sport England hand Calderdale £3.4m boost to get people active
Plus, joy for Calderdale College with £1m Government grant
Hello and welcome to The Calderdale Lead.
Well, after promising to stick its hat on for the last few weeks, we’ve finally been blessed with some sunshine across Calderdale this week… and doesn’t the borough look amazing?
It’s an edition of good news today with a couple of much-needed cash boosts for education and health in Calderdale.
And with what feels like weeks of negativity when it comes to cuts to public spending, it’s certainly welcome!
So, on with the news…
Sport England to invest millions in Calderdale to get communities moving
Communities across Calderdale are to be targeted to get moving thanks to a £3.4million boost from Sport England.
Sport England is investing the cash into the borough to help make it easier, more accessible and more attractive for people to move more and be active as part of day-to-day life.
Cabinet mm will be asked to accept this funding at Calderdale Council’s Cabinet meeting later this month.
Active Calderdale’s partnership with Sport England since 2018 has already led to a 6% increase in the number of adults who are physically active - classed as those doing more than 150 minutes of exercise a week - and a 7% rise in children and young people moving more.
Now, the aim is to help develop better conditions that make it easier for people to move more in their everyday lives.
The community-led partnership approach has taken strides towards this, including:
Creating over 40 active primary schools, which have policies and practices to make physical activity a positive and regular experience for children.
Introducing active environment policies into the planning system so that developments provide opportunities for people to be active.
Training over 300 health and social care staff to support people to move more, and work on promoting physical activity in health and social care services.
Improving parks and green spaces to make them more accessible, safe and attractive places to be active for free.
Creating more accessible and inclusive opportunities for people to be active in their community, such as walking groups, squash at the Mosque and women’s boxing sessions in the park.
Cllr Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s Deputy Leader, said: “This great investment from Sport England recognises Calderdale as leading the way in tackling inequalities in physical activity levels between areas and groups of people.
“Working as a whole place, through a collective effort, Active Calderdale is now ready to step its existing work up a gear to benefit people’s health and wellbeing, focusing on the idea that ‘We Are All Active Calderdale’.
“Being active creates hope and opportunities for people, and helps us connect with nature, culture and each other. It can also help prevent, reduce or delay people’s need for health and social care.”
Now a Place Partner with Sport England, Active Calderdale will be able to use the investment to deepen its work on three main themes, based on what communities and organisations across the borough have said are most important:
Active health and social care: promoting physical activity and supporting people to be physically active through the health and social care sectors.
Active travel: making it easier, safer and more accessible for people to walk, cycle and wheel in Calderdale.
Active communities: involving residents in shaping and creating conditions that can help them to be physically active in their community.
Work will continue in 10 Calderdale communities where levels of inactivity and the opportunity for impact are highest. The focus is to make positive changes in communities that last well beyond the three-year investment period.
To find out more about Active Calderdale, click here.
Calderdale College to build new classroom as part of Government boost
Calderdale College is to build a new classroom and expand its construction and professional trade workshops after being handed nearly £1m from the Government.
The Government has announced a £302 million government cash injection into Further Education facilities to fix leaky roofs, broken windows and dilapidated buildings in FE Colleges.
Halifax MP Kate Dearden wrote to Skills Minister Jacqui Smith last year highlighting the difference that Calderdale College is making in growing educational and skills opportunities in West Yorkshire.
And now Ms Dearden is delighted with the Government’s response: "I’m delighted that Calderdale College will receive nearly £1 million from this Labour Government to repair buildings, expand facilities, and enhance skills training.
“Having seen first-hand the brilliant courses they offer, I know this funding will make a real difference—helping meet Calderdale’s growing demand for further education.
"I look forward to visiting again to see this investment in action. It’s great to see Halifax getting the support it needs to equip young people and industries for the future.”
As part of the £999,856 allocated to Calderdale College, an additional classroom within Mill Studios will be built and the construction and professional trade workshops will be expanded.
David Malone, CEO of Calderdale College said: "I am delighted that Calderdale College has been awarded £999,586 as part of the Government's Further Education funding initiative.
"This funding will enable us to make crucial investments in key areas such as Construction and Digital, which are vital for addressing the increasing demand for top-quality education and training.”
That’s it for this edition!
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Enjoy what is left of the weekend - and the sunshine! - and we’ll be back in your inboxes on Wednesday!
Andrew