Sport England Leaders Meet with North Yorkshire Sport and Newly Elected York & North Yorkshire Mayor to Strengthen Local Partnerships and Boost Regional Impact
Senior leaders from Sport England, including Chief Executive Tim Hollingsworth, and North Yorkshire Sport met with York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith on Wednesday, October 30, to discuss how movement, activity and sport can further enhance community wellbeing across the area.
Prior to meeting with the Mayor, Sport England’s leaders met with David Watson, CEO of North Yorkshire Sport, and his team, to hear about the charity’s role as a Sport England System Partner, and how they are focusing resources and working with partners to tackle inequalities through movement, activity and sport.
“This has been a welcome opportunity for us to showcase the work, with the help of key investment from Sport England, that North Yorkshire Sport and our partners are doing to use movement, activity and sport as a driver for positive change,” said David Watson, CEO of North Yorkshire Sport. “We have a strong focus on reducing inequalities and we are passionate about promoting health and wellbeing across York and North Yorkshire, these meetings present us with a chance to build on strong existing relationships and to explore more opportunities to support this common goal.”
Following the morning session, the delegation travelled to York to meet with Mayor David Skaith. Elected as the first-ever Mayor for York and North Yorkshire earlier this year, Mayor Skaith is dedicated to addressing the region’s unique challenges and opportunities for all residents.
Discussions with the Mayor focused on Sport England’s “Uniting the Movement” strategy and its alignment with local priorities in York and North Yorkshire.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “An active lifestyle and spending regular time outside improves physical and mental health outcomes. I am committed to improving connections to the outdoors and working closely with North Yorkshire Sport and Sport England to help strengthen our community networks, break down barriers to participation, and enhance the quality of life for residents across our region.”
The meeting covered critical issues such as rural and coastal deprivation, physical inactivity, and health inequality. Sport England and North Yorkshire Sport are exploring innovative ways to engage targeted communities through the Sport England Place Universal Offer and discussed with the Mayor how these can support healthy and active communities across York and North Yorkshire.
“We have worked successfully for many years already in partnership with North Yorkshire Sport, delivering programmes that resonate locally, support system change and showcase the best of Sport England’s mission to Unite the Movement,” said Tim Hollingsworth, Chief Executive of Sport England. “Through these meetings, we aim to deepen our understanding of local needs, strengthen our partnership with Mayor Skaith and North Yorkshire Sport, and consider how best to get more people playing sport and being active to drive sustainable change across the region.”
The day’s agenda, started with a morning session in Harrogate and concluded with a meeting at the Mayor’s Office in York, and reflected a shared commitment among Sport England, North Yorkshire Sport, and the York and North Yorkshire Mayor to advocate for physical activity as a fundamental part of a thriving community.
Image shows: Sport England CEO Tim Hollingsworth OBE and Executive Director for Place, Lisa Dodd-Mayne, met with CEO, David Watson from North Yorkshire Sport.
