Swindon Advertiser Weekly Article - 14th August

I am hugely passionate about sport. Whether you are playing in the back garden or representing your country on the world stage - sports has the power to captivate, excite and engage. It can inspire potential, create ambition and bring people together.  Sport can also, as we witnessed with the 2012 London Olympics, bring a country together as one and inspire a generation. With the Paralympics, we saw sport break through social barriers and change the public’s perception of people with disabilities.  

Before becoming the MP for North Swindon, I was the Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Recreation on Swindon Borough Council. As part of this role, I helped to establish the Swindon Sports Forum with the aim to bring local clubs together to discuss issues and offer mutual support. As the MP, I have helped to raise money for local clubs, particularly Swindon Supermarine FC, whilst also leading the campaign in Parliament to secure more sport in schools. There is nobody more enthusiastic than me to promote the importance of sport.

I visit many local clubs who offer fantastic opportunities to local residents in terms of promoting both physical and mental well-being. All of these clubs rely on the hard work and dedication of loyal volunteers who are passionate about sharing the enjoyment of sport. But often clubs find themselves experiencing trouble when it comes to funding. Whether it’s hiring pitches, maintaining a clubhouse or purchasing equipment; playing sport can be pricey. That’s why I am keen to help local clubs apply for funding through my MPs office. Whether it’s offering advice on funding streams, or helping to fill in the forms – my office is here to help, so do please get in touch (01793 533393).

I also want to encourage all of Swindon's local clubs to take the opportunity to engage with the consultation on the Government’s new Strategy for Sport.  The consultation asks people for their views on topics such as the financial sustainability of sport, coaching, infrastructure, children's involvement in sports, access of sport for disabled people and professional sports. The consultation runs until Friday 2 October and can be viewed by going to gov.uk/government/consultations and searching for sport. This is an opportunity to tell decision-makers what needs to be done to make sport to flourish and I want to ensure that Swindon’s voice is heard.

Finally, I wanted to say a big congratulations to all of the pupils in Swindon who collected their results yesterday. I was pleased to see that the overall results reflected the Governments drive for the core academic subject, with a 20% increase in maths entries since 2010, and more pupils studying English and Sciences. There are also more people from disadvantaged backgrounds making it to University – something I am delighted to see.