En Route to Rio

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En Route toRioDelivering M

edway’s Sporting Legacy

2013-2016

Play Compete Spectate

MedwaySportingLegacy

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2013-2016

ContentsWelcome ..........................................................3Medway Festival of Sport ..............................4Mass participation events ..............................6Major sports events ........................................8Medway Park....................................................9On Your Marks ..............................................10An Active Medway ........................................14Medway Sporting Academy..........................15Road to Rio schools programme ................15Disability sport ..............................................16Clubmark and Medway’s sports clubs ........17School sport ..................................................18Medway sporting ambassadors ..................20Coach development ......................................21Further and higher education and sport......22Medway’s sports centres ..............................24Capstone Country Park ................................26 The River Medway ........................................26Cycling and the green grid............................27Outdoor fitness ..............................................28The wider picture ..........................................30

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WelcomeWelcome to En Route to Rio - Medway's ambitious and extensive strategy for the futureof sport in Medway.

As leader of Medway Council, I am determined to create every possible opportunity forour young people in particular to shine and be the best that they can. Medway’s strategysets out how we will continue to use sport to help achieve this ambition.

Our ongoing investment in sport and healthy lifestyle programmes, coupled with facilityimprovement, demonstrates our committment to delivering a lasting legacy far beyondLondon 2012, not just for young people but for the whole Medway community.

Medway's wide-ranging offer is the envy of many, and I would urge everybody to makethe most of every opportunity to enjoy more active, healthier lives.

Cllr Rodney Chambers OBELeader, Medway Council

The outstanding success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has,rightly, turned the spotlight on delivery of the much-mentioned sporting legacy. It was on this legacy that London bid successfully to host the Games.

Medway has long had the legacy in mind and in planning for maximising the benefits ofthe Games established a number of programmes designed to provide opportunities inthe years following 2012.

The development of Medway Park, our £11m regional centre of sporting excellence, isjust one example of how the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been used to providelong-lasting benefits to the people of Medway.

Further galvanised by what was the greatest ever Olympic and Paralympic Games, wehave invested in new programmes to offer yet more opportunities to our residents, withparticular emphasis on the London 2012 message of inspiring a generation andpromoting healthy lifestyles.

The following pages identify initiatives that are putting Medway at the forefront ofsporting legacy delivery. Our plan combines the development ofsporting facilities with a range of participation programmes, toinspire people of all ages to get physically active; and to providea structured pathway for talented young sportspeople todevelop and succeed.

The wonders of London 2012 may have passed, but oureyes are now firmly fixed on the road to Rio 2016.

Cllr Howard DoeCabinet Member for Housing and CommunityServices, Medway Council

En Route toRio Delivering Medway’s Sporting Legacy 2013-2016

Medway Festival of Sport The Medway Festival of Sport is our annual sporting extravaganza celebrating Medway’ssporting offer.

Since its launch in 2010, the summer festival has grown hugely in size and stature. The 2013 programme featured 50 events in 70 days and involved some 12,000 people.

The aim of the festival is to showcase sporting excellence, increase participation insport, promote healthy lifestyles and inspire the whole community to get involved withsport in Medway.

The annual programme offers a wide range of opportunities to play, compete and spectate.

For schools, the festival marks the culmination of the Mini Youth Games series, with the staging of the Night of Champions finals and the crowning of the overall Mini YouthGames champions for the year.

Medway’s sports centres and leading sports clubs play their part by hosting free opendays, taster sessions and community tournaments, shining a light on the myriadopportunities available to get fit and play sport in Medway.

There is also a focus on promoting disability sport, with the programme including adisability sports club taster day and the annual Disability Youth Summer Games.

The 2013 festival featured a number of other big signature events, including theinaugural Medway 10km race, the River Festival, London Broncos SuperLeague

match and rugby league stampede weekend and the festival’s grand finale- the Medway Mile.

The Festival of Sport also helps attract major sports events to Medway.The 2013 programme featured both the national Bribar Table TennisGrand Prix and the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup, both hostedat the Medway Park centre of sporting excellence.

Festival of Sport 2013 • 12,000 participants and spectators;• more than 100 volunteers;• 50 events;• 70 days;• international and national sporting events;• mass participation events;• community sports events;• inter-school competitions.

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Mass participation events The Medway Mile was Medway's signature countdown event to theLondon 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Due to the huge successof this community event, Medway Sport is committed to continuing theevent as a fantastic legacy of the Games. And we haven’t stopped there.New mass participation events in swimming and cycling are also beinglaunched to build on the event’s popularity and further support thesporting legacy.

Medway MileThe Medway Mile is the largest mass participation sports event staged in Medway.

Initially established in 2007 to mark the countdown to the opening ceremony of theLondon 2012 Olympics, the Mile has become hugely successful and a landmark eventon Medway’s calendar.

In the first year, approximately 500 people took part in the Mile. In 2012 that number hadgrown to a capacity of 3,000 runners, joggers and walkers coming together to celebrateand promote active and healthy lifestyles and celebrate the start of the Olympic Games.

The one-mile route around historic Rochester weaves through the High Street, the Vinesand the Cathedral grounds before ending within the grounds of Rochester Castle.The event includes activities and entertainment, children's races, a mascot race,competitive adult race, a mass participation warm up and the mass Medway Mile.The annual event – which is free to enter - now marks the grand finale of the Festival ofSport and is held on the final Friday of July.

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The Medway Big SplashThe Medway Big Splash is a new mass participation event based around watersports,aquatics and water-based activity sessions as well as a mass community swim challenge. The weekend-long event will be staged for the first time in January 2014 acrossMedway’s sports centres.

The Saturday will see the mass participation fun-day filled with activities, team sessions,tasters, workouts and family fun. Sports on offer will include diving, synchronisedswimming, lifesaving, aquafit and sub aqua. The evening will culminate in a FamilySplash session.

On Sunday, we want to see how far Medway can swim in one day. The Medway SwimChallenge will see the public coming together to amass lengths throughout the day. All participants will receive a free Big Splash souvenir t-shirt.

As part of the build up, and to ensure a legacy of the Big Splash, a 12-week communityswimming lesson programme will be held across Medway for non-swimmers, withparticipants challenged to swim a length as part of the event weekend.

The Medway Big RideThe Medway Big Ride is a new mass participation programme toencourage the people of Medway to get on their bikes.

It will feature a host of cycling initiatives culminating in a weekend-longevent to launch the Medway Festival of Sport in May 2014, offering aunique opportunity to enjoy a wealth of cycling entertainment.

The Big Ride weekend will embrace all forms of cycling. Activities at themain event in the Great Lines Heritage Park will include mass rides; cycle

training and lessons; displays and stunt shows; races, have-a-go arenas; and exhibitions by clubs, national governing bodies and cycling organisations.

There will also be a sportive for more enthusiastic riders and a new Cycle Medway event.

The Big Ride, like the Big Splash and the Medway Mile, is free and open to participantsof all ages and abilities.

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Major sports eventsMedway Park has developed a reputation as a high-quality venue for internationalsporting events.

A wide range of elite sporting competitions have already been attracted to the top-classfacilities which make up Medway’s new-look centre of sporting excellence.

The Modern Pentathlon World Cup in April 2010 was the first global sporting event to behosted in Medway. Our commitment to promoting and staging the event, coupled with ourwider legacy development of the sport, secured us the international award for the best-promoted pentathlon event of the year. Medway was subsequently chosen to host the 2011Modern Pentathlon European Championships - an official Olympic qualification event.

In 2012, Medway hosted pre-Games training camps for the London 2012 Olympics aswell as the British Transplant Games – a four-day competition featuring 600 competitorsfrom across the UK.

Medway continued its sporting year of celebration by staging the first ever disabilitysport international at Medway Park, when world champions England played host to greatrivals France in wheelchair rugby league.

The event attracted a record crowd and led to Medway Park being chosen as the hostvenue for the 2013 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup.

With Medway Park having also hosted major sporting events in basketball, boxing, judo,table tennis, badminton, swimming and fencing, Medway is well respected as a venue ofchoice for many sports.

The continued attraction of major sports events to Medway is a key aspect of Medway’ssporting legacy. As well as attracting tourism and boosting the economy, these eventsprovide inspiration to Medway’s young people – the opportunity to run on the sametrack, to swim in the same pool, to compete in the same sports hall as a world orOlympic champion.

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Thanks to everyone

involved in the

Wheelchair Rugby

League World Cup for

all their help to make it

the most organised

and professional

tournament I have ever

been involved with."

Australian Wheelchair

Rugby League Team

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Medway ParkMedway Park is Medway’s flagship £11m centre of sporting excellence. The creation ofMedway Park has been pivotal to the long-term development of sport in Medway,beyond the 2012 Games, creating a centre of sporting excellence with the needs of thecommunity at its heart.

The project saw the transformation of the former Black Lion Leisure Centre in Gillinghamand the creation of new world-class facilities which opened in 2010.

The facilities include:• new 12-court multi-sports hall;• new eight-lane athletics track;• dedicated judo centre;• 100-station health and fitness and free-weights suite;• dedicated health and fitness suite for junior athletes;• University of Kent Sports Science and Therapy Centre;• upgraded swimming and changing room facilities;• fully-integrated disabled access and changing rooms;• conference room with interactive white board;• cafeteria and bar area.

The result is an inspiring environment where members of the local community can usethe top-class sporting facilities and rub shoulders with national and international athletescompeting and training.

The benefits are enjoyed by Medway's aspiring athletes, progressive clubs, developingcoaches, and those simply wanting to enjoy a more healthy, active lifestyle. Usernumbers at Medway Park have grown continuously since the investment in the facilities.Monthly visitor figures for June 2013 showed an increase of 29 per cent compared to thesame month the previous year.

Medway Park was a joint venture between Medway Council, central government, SportEngland and the University of Kent, which has a state-of-the-art sports science andtherapy centre on site. Medway Council is working with partners to identify more ways tobuild on the success of the Medway Park project and continue to invest in maintainingand improving the quality facilities on offer.


On Your Marks... is Medway Sport's legacy programme designed to breakdown barriers and support community participation in sport. Fromteenagers to pensioners and everyone in between, our aim is to providethe people of Medway with a helping hand to start getting fit and active.

The programme helps meet the target set by Sport England for new sportsparticipants to complete at least 30-minutes of exercise per week. Below isan overview of some of our innovative new projects and target groups.

On Your Marks…at Medway ParkNew for 2013, this is a low-intensity pay-as-you-go programme specifically fornewcomers and those returning to exercise.

The programme offers 36 weekly classes and 22 different workouts, all tailored to thosenervous about taking that first fitness step.

All classes are entry-level and range from bokwa African dance, UrbanDanceFit classes and Powerhoop to kettlebells, circuits and spinning.There are also outdoor SoccerFit, RugbyFit and GymFit classes, as wellas senior spin and tai chi sessions.

The adult-only classes last around 45 minutes andtake place in the On Your Marks studio or

on the infield of the track at MedwayPark. They are run by hand-picked,fully-qualified instructors and allequipment is provided.

Medway Sport will build on thesuccess of this initial programmeby rolling out similar entry-levelclasses across Medway’s othersports centres.

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Community Clubs and HubsFor some, travelling to a sports centre to exercise simply doesn’t appeal. The On YourMarks… programme is therefore creating opportunities for adults to exercise in non-traditional facilities.

We are also supporting community groups to set up new clubs by offering equipment,advice and support.

Community hubs, parish halls and community centres are all potential venues for activity.We are working with groups to identify these venues and launching new sessions forthose who prefer to get fit and active in more informal settings.

A particular focus is also being placed on engaging with Medway’s diverse ethniccommunity, helping to overcome any barriers - perceived or real - that prevent them fromengaging in regular exercise.

As a result of this work, a new community badminton club, including a ladies-onlysession, has been launched in partnership with the Medway Ethnic Minority Forum.

Families On Your Marks…This project focuses on creating opportunities for families to exercise regularly together.

Families On Your Marks… is a programme of free drop-in days at Medway Park forfamilies with children aged six to 11-years-old.

The sessions are held on weekends, with activities on offer including badminton, tabletennis, athletics, dance and aerobics classes, and swimming.

Qualified coaches are on hand to get the activities up and running and show the parentsand their children the basics. No booking is required and equipment is provided.

The ambition is to roll out the programme across Medway’s other sports centres.

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Mums’ ClubsThe On Your Marks… programme is committed to helping mums find the time, energyand inclination to keep fit and active.

It might be new mums struggling to find the time or energy to shift their baby weight;busy mums juggling work, school runs, housework and relaxation; or mums-to-be keento keep active through their pregnancy.

The new fitness programme at Medway Park offers low-intensity classes that appeal towomen. We are also developing plans to take exercise classes to the mums - be itthrough children’s centres where childcare facilities are available, schools or othercommunity hubs and open spaces.

We are also seeking to promote and enhance opportunities for mums to exercise withtheir babies.

Seniors and Medway MastersIt is widely acknowledged in government policy that light exercise is one of the simplemeasures to help older people live better, healthier lives.

As part of the On Your Marks… programme, Medway Sport is working with sports centresand clubs to encourage the development of masters and seniors programmes.

The over 60s already benefit from free swimming and discounted gym membership rates at Medway’s sports centres. There is also athriving over-60s sports programme of badminton, table tennis, shorttennis, short-mat bowls and aerobics at Medway Park and StroodSports Centre.

We are working to enhance and promote this offer further,including the addition of fitness classes in spin and tai chitailored to the senior market.

The Medway Masters programme involves thestaging of community tournaments to encouragephysical activity amongst the over 35s.

We are also working with Medway’s network ofsports clubs to encourage the creation anddevelopment of masters’ sections and teams.

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16-25sMedway Sport is committed to creating opportunities to encourage sport and physicalactivity amongst this notoriously hard-to-reach age group.

The transition from full-time school into further education or the world of work is oftenaccompanied by a reduction in activity levels as other pressures and interests take priority.

The On Your Marks fitness programme at Medway Park is designed to offer sessionsthat appeal to this younger demographic.

We are also working closely with Medway’s colleges and universities to promote all ofthe sporting opportunities available across Medway.

As part of our commitment, we will be seeking to deliver projects as part of SportEngland’s Sportivate campaign.

Sportivate is a £56m lottery programme that gives 14 to 25-year-olds access to six-weekcourses in a range of sports. It is aimed at young people who do no or little sport in theirown time.

Let’s DanceDance is a proven vehicle for encouraging women and teenaged girls in particular to get active.

It is also a great way to tone up and improve fitness, muscle strength, coordination and balance.

Dance fitness classes are a key element of the On Your Marks…fitness programmealready launched at Medway Park. The timetable includes exercise sessions based onbokwa African dance, street dance, ballet and mixed dance styles.

We are also mapping, supporting and promoting the existing dance provision inMedway, while identifying innovative new locations to run sessions in community hubsand local settings.

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A Better MedwayThe Medway Public Health Team also plays a key role in encouraging the people ofMedway to be more physically active.

The following programmes all form part of the public health improvement campaign, A Better Medway.

Active Medway – The Public Health Team’s accredited exercise sessions ranging fromzumba and pilates to tai chi and boot camps. These are provided by both communitygroups and individual providers and are all listed on the Better Medway website. Allproviders have been assessed for insurance, qualifications, Clubmark status andcustomer service.

Exercise Referral – This 12-week programme supports people with long-term healthconditions to get active. Delivered across Medway Council’s sports centres, it allowsparticipants to experience the positive effects physical activity can have on fitness levels,mental well-being and overall quality of life. Referrals are accepted from a wide range ofhealth professionals.

Medway Health Walks – Short and social group walks to help people get the most outof walking for their physical and mental health. The groups are friendly and supportive,so are great for people currently doing little or no exercise, recovering from illness orlacking in confidence. All walks are free, led by trained volunteer walk leaders, andgraded to offer a variety of durations and distances.

Active Medway Cycling Groups – Supporting adults to get fitter and more confident ontheir bike with free, guided cycling sessions for adults. Groups take place acrossMedway at various times of the day, so they can enjoy cycling when it is convenient forthem, whatever their ability. All they need is a roadworthy bike and basic safetyequipment. All rides are led by trained ride leaders, who volunteer their time to showpeople the benefits of cycling.

MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it!) – The Health Improvement Service has anumber of projects that are specifically tasked with supporting children and youngpeople to achieve a healthy weight for their age. Physical activity is one of the keyobjectives set for participating families.

For more information visit www.abettermedway.co.uk

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Medway Sporting AcademyThe Medway Sporting Academy identifies and nurtures Medway’s most talented youngsportspeople. Aimed primarily at children aged between 10 and 13-years-old, theacademy provides a structured environment to develop the core skills and knowledge ofour future sporting stars.

Around 80 students are selected each year at a rigorous testing day. They then attendregular intensive coaching sessions working on areas such as hand-eye co-ordination,agility, balance, flexibility and nutrition - all complementing the coaching they get in theirchosen sports through local clubs.

Thanks to support from Questor Insurance, academy athletes are also invited to sport-specific camps, where national governing bodies can identify athletes who showpotential in their particular sports.

When athletes graduate from the academy coaching structure and progress in theirsports, they continue to receive support from Medway Sport. This includes access tofunding and workshops, discounted sports therapy through the University of Kent’sSportsReady clinic, and Medway Park gym membership.

Medway Road To Rio

Schools ProgrammeThe Medway sporting legacy education plans recognise that not every student is keen toparticipate in sport. The Road To Rio Schools Programme is devised to benefit allprimary school children.

The cross curriculum project uses sport - and specifically the Rio 2016 Olympic andParalympic Games - to develop educational opportunities for pupils. The programmehas been developed in conjunction with Medway’s education advisors and primaryschool headteachers and will focus particularly on sport, maths and cultural links.

An initial 15 primary schools have signed up for the pilot year of the project, starting inSeptember 2013. The programme will be rolled out to further schools over the yearsleading up to the Rio 2016 Games.


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Disability sportA huge amount of work has been undertaken to develop disability sport in Medway.

A number of new clubs have been established, London 2012 Paralympians have trainedat Medway Park, and the centre for sporting excellence has hosted national andinternational competitions.

The primary focus has been on creating opportunities for young people, with the DisabilityYouth Games providing friendly sporting competition in a structured environment. Thegames take place throughout the academic year, with free coaching offered prior toparticipation. Sports offered include skiing, swimming, archery, athletics, boccia,goalball, cricket, new-age curling, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby league

The games are supported by the development of new disability sports clubs inpartnership with Medway Council.

More than 100 members have already joined clubs established in athletics, boccia,wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby league, goalball and powerchair football.

The second annual Disability Sports Taster Day - designed to encourage membership ofour disability sports clubs - was held during the 2013 Medway Festival of Sport.

This activity is complemented by the hosting of major disability sports events at MedwayPark, including the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup and the Wheelchair RugbySuper Sixes national competition.

“Medway has always taken disability sport seriously, probablybetter than any other part of the UK in terms of investment invenues and events.”

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, 11-time Paralympic Champion

Clubmark and Medway’s

sports clubsMedway can boast more than 500 clubs in a range of sports recognised by Sport England.

It is also proud to have one of the highest number of Clubmark-accredited clubs in thesouth east.

Medway’s clubs all play a key role in delivering a sporting legacy, providing opportunitiesfor children and adults alike to get active and succeed in their chosen sports.

Medway Council operates an online club directory at www.medway.gov.uk/medwaysportto promote this vast network of clubs to the public.

It is also committed to driving up standards by offering support to clubs wanting to achieveClubmark accreditation – the gold standard for quality sports provision for young people.

No fewer than 32 clubs have already been awarded Clubmark status by Sport England,their national governing body or the County Sports Partnership. This confirms that theyare complying with strict operating standards in key areas including club management,equality and ethics, duty of care and child protection, and participation.

Medway Council works closely with its Clubmark clubs to deliver school and communitysports events and programmes and offering priority access to available funding.

Medway Community

Sport NetworkMedway’s Clubmark clubs come together with other key organisations to form Medway’sCommunity Sports Network.

This independent steering group takes a leading role in promoting and developingsporting opportunities in Medway, working alongside the council.

Its core objectives include actively promoting the development of Medway’s Clubmarkclubs, increasing the retention of members, coaches and volunteers, and developinglinks between key local sporting organisations.

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School sport

Mini Youth GamesThe Medway Mini Youth Games (MYG) is Medway Sport’s flagship inter-schoolssports programme.

It provides thousands of Medway primary school pupils with the opportunity toexperience the thrill of friendly, competitive sport, to learn new skills and develop asense of fair play.

Over the course of the academic year, primary schools compete against each other in arange of sports, including:• hockey • rugby • badminton • basketball • swimming• table tennis • netball • football • cricket • athletics

The Mini Youth Games are aimed primarily at Years 5 and 6 pupils, with most eventsoperating in a league format to decide the overall winners.

Prizes are awarded at each event and points are gained towards the overall MYG title. A fair play trophy is awarded at each event, and there is an annual participation prize forthe school that selects the largest number of children to take part in MYG events.

The top eight schools from each event also qualify to take part in the Night ofChampions competition, which forms part of the summer Festival of Sport.

Pre-event coaching is an important part of the MYG programme and also a way ofintroducing many children to the skills of a new sport. A teacher, a parent or a visitingqualified coach delivers this, supported by Medway Sport. Assistance is also given toschools wanting to set up after-school clubs.

Mini Youth Games events are always linked to local sports clubs, creating pathways forchildren to continue to develop their interest in a particular sport.

Mini Youth Sports CampsIn the wake of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Medway Sport haslaunched a new programme of Mini Youth Sports Camps for eight to 11-year-olds.

The three-day camps run during school holidays, offering quality coaching in sportsincluding athletics, football, cricket, rugby league, netball, basketball, team buildingand more.

Sport partnershipsMedway has two sports partnerships that play akey role in delivering sport in schools.

The partnerships – based out of the Howardand Greenacre Schools – are collections ofschools working together in families to shareresources, facilities, teaching and coachingexpertise and an infrastructure of staff.

The partnerships offer packages of support toprimary schools, including:• after-school sports club support; • intra and inter-school competitions; • teacher training; • talent identification; • curriculum and other general support; • holiday clubs.

The partnerships also deliver the Medway Secondary School Games,which feed into the Kent School Games programme.

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Medway Sporting Ambassadors

Medway has long recognised the importance of volunteers in sport, and local sportingambassadors have played a vital role in the delivery, organisation and administration of awide range of different projects hosted in Medway.

More than 120 volunteers – aged between 16 and 74 years - are now signed up to theSporting Ambassadors programme.

Delivering our many legacy projects is further increasing opportunities for the sporting ambassadors.

More than 50 volunteers supported the successful staging of the Wheelchair RugbyLeague World Cup in July 2013, while scores more ensured the successful delivery ofother events as part of the Medway Festival of Sport.

As part of their development and ongoing commitment to supporting sport in Medway,we have put together a programme that offers the opportunity for all our ambassadors tocomplete training as part of the Medway Sports Coaches programme.

After completing 10 hours of volunteering, they can also access grants to help themcomplete sport-specific coaching qualifications through national governing bodies.

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“Thank you to you and all your team for putting on an amazing world

cup event. I've been completely blown away by the quality and

enthusiasm of you and your team of staff and volunteers.”

Dan Steel, National Clubs Manager, Rugby Football League

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Coach developmentIn Medway, we are developing a raft of initiatives to encourage participation across allabilities among both adults and children.

We also have more than 500 sports clubs, many of which we are actively working withto increase participation. But to do so, we need the coaches and volunteers tosupport growth.

The Medway Sports Coaches programme creates a pathway for developing the skillsand attributes of our coaches.

An introductory module provides would-be coaches with a general overview of the coreskills needed to become a coach. This will be offered to volunteers as part of theMedway Sporting Ambassadors programme.

Sport-specific coaching courses linked to nationalgoverning bodies then allow aspiring coaches tobecome qualified in a sport of their choice.

There are also general coach development modulesavailable to new and existing coaches, covering coresubjects ranging from psychology to nutrition andbasic physiology, as well as key skills such as firstaid, safeguarding and child protection.

The Medway Sports Coaches programme worksin partnership with Medway’s sports clubs tocreate and identify opportunities for coachplacements and continued coach development.


Further and higher education

and sportSport and its link to further education is an important element of Medway’ssporting offer, and the legacy from the creation of Medway Park. Medway Council and its partners are striving to make Medwaysynonymous with quality opportunities for forging a career in sport.

University of KentThe University of Kent (UoK) has established its Medway campus as a leading place forthe study of sport and exercise, not just in the UK but around the world.

The opportunities to study and research in sport, exercise and health in Medway havegrown rapidly over the past decade, led by UoK. Its School of Sport and ExerciseSciences has approximately 450 students and 20 academic staff, offering fourundergraduate degrees and three post-graduate programmes.

More than half of UoK graduates go on to careers in the sport, exercise and healthsectors, most notably as sports therapists or similar exercise professionals.

The university has developed a strong track record of research in sport, exercise andhealth, with 30 Medway-based researchers and expert practioners conducting studies todevelop new knowledge and professional practice in the sport and exercise sciences.

Staff in its research groups have published and presented more than 300 scientificpapers in the last three years alone, attracting hundreds of thousands of pounds ofresearch funding and working with organisations ranging from FIFA, British Cycling, theRugby Football Union and the British Paralympic team to local organisations such as thecouncil and Medway NHS Foundation Trust.

In the future the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences aims to establish Medway as theleading place for the study of sport, exercise and health in the UK, and to attractstudents from around the world to study here. Its research will focus on the benefits ofexercise and physical activity, and on the health issues that affect people in Medway.

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MidKent CollegeThe new MidKent College, campus alongside the Medway Park site in Gillingham, hasapproximately 150 full-time students studying sports-related diplomas, A-levels andcoaching courses.

These courses are designed to offer pathways into sport-related careers or higher education:

Football Development: The Football Development pathway is for those interested inworking in the football industry. Alongside a Level 3 Diploma in Sport of Sport Exercise,students are able to enrol on to FA coaching courses. These students also receivecoaching from UEFA-qualified staff and have the chance to volunteer with Gillingham FC,assisting coaches in the community.

Fitness and Therapy: Alongside their Level 3 Diploma, students interested in a career inthe fitness industry can enrol onto the Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing tobecome qualified gym instructors and the Level 2 Award in Instructing Circuits. Studentscan also progress to the Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training.

Higher Education Progression: After completion of their Level 3 Diploma, studentswishing to go to university can top up their qualification to higher-level diplomas, givingthem an insight into the requirements of higher study. There is also an opportunity for aHNC/D at its Maidstone campus.

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Medway’s sports centres

StroodMedway’s second busiest sports centre, Strood, is a bustling facility with much to offer –fitness facility, swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool, dance classes, sports halls and Kicks,our 3G artificial pitch soccer facility and clubhouse.

Proposals are being developed to substantially increase the size and scope of the fitnessarea, as well as offering a wider range of facilities.

StrandThe Strand is a popular leisure attraction with residents, particularly in the summer whenthe outdoor pool is open.

However, the site is in need of some investment to maintain it as an attractive site forsport and recreation.

Medway Council is committed to encouraging leisure and physical activity in a parklandsetting. As such we will look at ways to upgrade and renovate the facilities at the Strand,identifying new opportunities for encouraging activity at the riverside site.

SplashesOne of the first fun pools established in the county, steps are being taken to revitaliseSplashes, enhancing the fun elements with a number of new additions, and expandingits gym/fitness offer.

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Stirling CentreIn an innovative and ground-breaking move, Medway has secured £500,000 investmentinto the facilities at the Stirling Centre, through entering into partnership with King’sSchool, Rochester.

This has created fantastic sporting opportunities for the students of a school with a1,400 year history. At the same time the agreement means even greater public access tothe facilities, with a dramatically improved community usage offer.

Working with partners King’s, we have plans to bring an even wider range of activities to the centre.

Hundred of HooServing Medway’s rural communities on the Peninsula, Hundred of Hoo continues to offera vital community service, and we have taken steps to improve the facilities on offer.

Extensive renovations to the gym and fitness facility have been undertaken, widening therange of equipment on offer and increasing the scale of the gym.

The swimming pool is a highly-prized asset on the Peninsula, and a range ofimprovements have already been made to enhance the experience for its users.

Deangate Ridge Golf CourseDeangate Ridge offers a top quality course at exceptional prices.

Following an extensive programme of works to the greens in conjunction with the SportsTechnology Research Institute over the last three years, the course plays better than ever,and recently there have been improvements made to the driving range and clubhouse.

The next phase of development is to establish a Par 3 Academy course, providingoutstanding facilities in a fantastic setting.


Capstone Country ParkIn recent years there has been investment in improvedsporting facilities at Capstone Country Park with theintroduction of new cycling routes, running routes, a bridlewayand fishing facilities.

Visitors can now follow marked running and mountain bikingroutes of up to 5km with trim trail fitness equipment. There isalso a new BMX park and a horse-riding trail.

These improvements have proved extremely popular, but thereis scope for far greater participation with the development of aregional outdoor centre of sporting excellence to complementMedway Park.

Medway Council is looking at ways to further enhance theoutdoor fitness offer at Capstone Country Park through theprovision of cycle hire facilities and showers and changing rooms. Given Capstone’srelatively close proximity for residents, allied to a number of new cycling routes suitablefor all levels, there is a great opportunity for the site to rapidly gain in popularity and linkinto the green grid cycle network.

The River MedwayThe inaugural Medway River Festival, held to celebrate HM The Queen’s DiamondJubilee in 2012, proved very successful and helped promote the river as anessential part of Medway’s sports and leisure offer.

This festival – which has now become an annual event - has created a focuson the river, highlighting the wide range of sporting opportunities available onthe water in Medway.

The river already stages national sailing regattas and has successfulrowing and cruising clubs. There is also a willingness among rivergroups to promote and develop greater usage.

The river is an integral part of Medway’s rich heritage, and MedwayCouncil is committed to ensuring this wonderful asset is a keyfeature of Medway’s sporting future.

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Cycling and the green gridCycling is a simple, cheap and enjoyable way for the whole family to stay healthy and active.

Medway Council continues to work on a number of initiatives to motivate the people ofMedway to get on their bikes, spurred on by the recent publication of the government’sGet Britain Cycling report.

Pilot projects elsewhere in the UK have seen increases of a third or more in the numberof people regularly using their bikes following major cycling initiatives.

Medway’s Local Transport Plan for 2013-15 and Cycle Action Plan set out plans fordeveloping Medway’s cycling culture through a number of cycle route improvement andcycling promotion schemes.

This ongoing work includes new crossings, plugging gaps in the network, new cycleroutes, other possible measures such as speed limit reductions and the redesigning ofroads, and investment in cycle parks and off-road cycling sites such as at Capstone.

The aim is to create a green grid cycle network of safe cycle routes linking up Medway’s parks and open spaces and town centres, as well as leisure and other keycommunity sites.

In addition to the engineering projects, Medway Council is focussed on furtherenhancing training and education for children and adults, and the continued growth of itsorganised group health rides and incentive schemes to promote cycling to commuters.

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Outdoor fitnessExercise and fitness is not restricted to indoor sports centres. A hugeamount of investment is being made in creating and maintaining new andinnovative recreation opportunities in Medway’s parks and open spaces,allowing people of all ages to enjoy healthy lifestyles on their doorsteps.

Electronic play systemsSportACTIV is an innovative new outdoor electronic platform providinga competitive play arena on which both children and adults arechallenged to compete or individuals can play on their own.

A new SportACTIV play area is scheduled to open at Ryetop PlayArea in Beacon Close, Rainham, in August 2013. It will be only the third such SportACTIVfacility to be installed in the UK.

Fitness equipmentA range of outdoor gyms and fitness trails located around Medway green spaces andparks provide free workouts in the fresh air for the residents of Medway.

Since 2010, outdoor gym-style moving equipment has been installed at RainhamRecreation Ground, Canal Road, Strood and Maidstone Road Sports Ground.

Static fitness trails are also available on Rochester Esplanade, Broomhill Park andCapstone Country Park.

Medway Council’s greenspaces team is looking at opportunities to build on the successof the outdoor fitness initiative through the installation of further outdoor gyms.

Marked out walking and running trailsWalking and running are two of the simplest and cheapestways of staying healthy and getting active.

In addition to the trails at Capstone Country Park, 1km trails havebeen marked out at two of Medway’s Greenflag Award winningparks - Hillyfields Community Park and Broomhill Park.

Medway Council is looking at additional sites where similar runningroutes and trails can be introduced.

Skate and BMX parksConsultation with young people across Medway over the last 10 years highlighted theneed for more dynamic, challenging recreation opportunities for teenagers.

This has led to the installation of skate and BMX parks across Medway’s greenspaceswhich are very popular and well used. They are located at Cozenton Park, JacksonsRecreation Ground, Beechings Way and Capstone Country Park.

Multi-use games areasMulti-use games areas enable young people in particular to play casual sport wheneverthey want.

Medway Council provides outdoor multi-use courts that are ideal for basketball, footballand netball, with no booking required.

There are 10 multi-use games areas in operation in the following Medway parks: • Copperfields Recreation Ground; • Hook Meadow; • Pottery Road, Hoo; • Princes Park, Chatham; • Castlemaine, Gillingham; • Luton Millennium Green; • James Street; • Canal Road, Strood; • Barnfield Road Recreation Ground; • Rainham Recreation Ground.

Competitive sport Medway Council manages a large number of sports pitches, tennis courts and bowlinggreens for outdoor competitive sport. These include a total of 43 senior football pitches,17 junior football pitches, 31 tennis courts, eight rugby pitches and three outdoorbowling greens, all available for community hire.

The vast majority of the council-run football pitches are used every weekend through thefootball season.

Medway Council is committed to maintaining and investing in these vital communityfacilities, with a new football pavillion at Beechings Way scheduled to be completed byMarch 2014.

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Medway Sports AwardsThe Medway Sports Awards are a major celebration of sporting success in Medway.

Held every two years, the awards highlight the achievements and dedication of Medwayathletes, coaches, clubs, teams and schools. Gold, silver and bronze awards arepresented in senior and junior categories for athletes, teams and clubs, as well ascoaches, volunteers, and schools. There is also a lifetime contribution award.

The gala celebration in 2012 was attended by Olympic boxing gold medallist AnthonyJoshua, GB Wheelchair Rugby's Steve Brown and GB Sitting Volleyball player ClaireHarvey, plus Meday sporting ambassadors Steve Backley and Danny Crates.

The awards will continue to be held every two years, with nominations already open forthe 2014 awards. They are supported by a number of partners and sponsors includingthe University of Kent and the Medway Messenger.

The wider pictureMedway Council works closely with a wide network of organisations and partneragencies involved in the delivery of sport locally and nationally.

In addition to the partnerships already detailed, Medway sits on the Kent and MedwaySports Board, which represents the interests of sport in Kent and is accountable to theSport England South East Regional Sports Board.

The Kent and Medway Sports Board is an integral part of Sport England’s deliverysystem for sport, comprised of County Sports Partnerships (Kent Sport & PhysicalActivity Service) and Community Sports Networks.

Medway Sport also works directly with Sport England and with individual nationalgoverning bodies of sport to identify joint local initiatives for encouraging grassrootssports participation.

There are 46 core governing bodies that receive funding from Sport England. They eachhave whole sport plans that identify how they plan to increase the number of peopleplaying their sport once a week and also to nurture talent.

Sport England offers advice and funding opportunities for supporting the delivery of alocal sporting legacy, either directly through local authorities such as Medway Council orthrough local clubs, facilities and organisations.

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2013-2016

G8159 Designed by Medway Council’s Communications Team www.medway.gov.uk/communications Photo credits: Paul Bronicki; Cesar Velasco; University of Kent

Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

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For further information Medway Sport

Phone: 01634 338238

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.medway.gov.uk/medwaysport

Twitter: @MedwaySport

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