London 2012 legacy plan published

Paul Dancey on 28/09/2012

In announcing a ten point plan for securing a lasting legacy from the Olympic Games, UK Sports Minister Hugh Robertson has stressed the need to maintain momentum if the commitment to "inspire a generation" is to be achieved.

The plan includes:

• £125m per year funding for elite sport over the next four years
• £300 million investment to open up the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the community
• Winning the rights to host over twenty world sporting events across the UK up to 2019
• £135 million investment into Sport England’s Places People Play programme to fund new facilities, volunteering and participation programmes
• £1 billion investment over the next five years in the Youth Sport Strategy to link schools with clubs and to develop sporting habits for life
• Government support for the Join In programme to build on the spirit of volunteering seen at the Games by getting people to volunteer at their local sports club
• Introduction of the Sainsbury’s School Games programme and county sports festivals
• More done to ensure PE in schools is available to all
• £1.5 million funding to the English Federation of Disability Sport to increase participation in sports by disabled people
• Continue funding for International Inspiration, the UK's international sports development programme, through to 2014

The Minister said MPs would be updated quarterly on the delivery of the plan.

Andy Reed, chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance said: "The minister has acknowledged that there is still more to do in respect of school sport and that is very welcome. School sport plays a crucial part in inspiring young people to stay active, but there’s no doubt that it hasn’t been as high up the agenda as we would like it to be.

"Many of the projects set out in the plan will rely on the support of community sports clubs and they, in turn, rely on volunteers to survive.

"Sports clubs face a range of challenges to their survival and many are struggling to make ends meet. We need to do more to support them to avoid the risk of damaging the infrastructure which will provide this legacy."

back to article index