Sport
Sport
The Sports Partnership Initiative
Support for Talented Young Sports People
The Foundation is dedicated to inspiring young people to participate in a lifetime of sporting activity.
Unfortunately many young people who have sporting talent find it hard to continue with their chosen sport once they start work or further education.This initiative aims to match talented young sports people with businesses that can give advice and support to enable them to continue developing their sporting prowess while still working or studying.This is a joint initiative between the Foundation and Shropshire Council.
If you are a business that can see the potential of working with such dedicated young people or know a sports person who might benefit, please contact the Foundation via the contact details.
Here a few examples of the young people helped so far:
Hi, My name is Ellinor Southward. I am 16 years of age & have been a swimmer with Ellesmere College Titans since 2011, representing England & Team GB at International level.
In 2016 I was allocated a placement with the New Saints Football Club in Oswestry.I spend an amazing day with the Physio and Marketing teams.I gained valuable experience with them, learned new skills & it helped to build my confidence. Gill & her team were amazing & it was interesting to see the working environment within business. She also said that I could go back at any time for work experience as they were pleased with my help & input.I would definitely recommend for others to take part in the project as it helps individuals to gain valuable experience & could help with job opportunities in the future.
Twins
Caroline and Lottie Hulme, attended Ellesmere College.Their sports specialism is Hockey for which they have represented Wales in the Under 16, 18 and 21 level teams in various tournaments across the U.K. and indeed Europe.
During 2015 they were signed for Brooklands Poynton (Manchester) who play in the second tier of England women's hockey and ranked one of the top North of England clubs.
They both aim to go to University and are interested in business, sales and marketing careers although sport will remain high on their agendas. Through the initiative both girls were placed with local businesses. Caroline with Morris Properties and Lottie with Shropshire Festivities.
Both were very impressed with the help and support they received and in particular, Beth Heath (Shropshire Festivities) gave advice of how both could self promote as well as making arrangements for dual appearances at certain Quarry Park venues e.g. The Flower show and Food Festival.
Special thanks must go to Graham Jenner for his dedication to the work of bringing young people and businesses together.
Sports Engagement Project
The Foundation aims to collaborates with partners to help fund and deliver projects which engaged young people in Sport in the Wenlock area.For example basketball.
If you have a sports project that you think the Foundation might be able to support please contact us.
William Penny Brookes
Sport and Health
A few words to explain how William Penny Brookes has inspired the Foundation to promote heath through sport. An aim that is as relevant today as it was 150 years ago.
William Penny Brookes lived all his life in Much Wenlock, Shropshire where he was the doctor of the town for over sixty years.
Brookes is now best remembered as the founder of the Wenlock Olympian Society, as a founding member of the National Olympian Association and inspiring Baron Pierre de Coubertin to form the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Alongside striving to revive the Olympic movement Brookes was a tireless campaigner for the introduction of physical education in schools and the benefits of exercise throughout life.
The Wenlock Olympian Games were for “every grade of man” and included events for all ages and abilities. They were designed to encourage participation in sport and promoted a healthy life style and community involvement.
William Penny Brookes was a man of Olympian vision and energy who recognised the benefits of exercise to the physical and mental well being of individuals. Throughout his life he strived to make the inactive active stating “sustaining good health is better than attempting to recover it once lost.”
Here are some of WPB's quotes.
“Health is the poor man's only possession.”
"Sustaining good health is better than attempting to recover it once lost."
Included in the 1868 WOS BANNER:
“May Wenlock ever encourage those outdoor exercises and recreations which improve the health, increase the stature, mature the courage and fire the pluck of our youth.”
1852 Brooke;
“considered that exercise of an athletic character were conducive, if not
indispensable to the growth, health and activity of the body, as well as to cheerfulness and strength of mind.”
1854 Brookes
“If... recreation tends to promote, as I hold it does, the public health, it becomes alike the duty and the interest of all classes to countenance and support occasional out-door games.”
1855 Brookes
“exercise... so essential for the healthy development of the body.”
1862 Brookes
“no one, surely, can be insensible to the fact that a healthy development of the bodily powers by exercise, combined with temperance, has a most important influence on the power and energy of the mind.”
1864 Brookes
“that direst of all calamities, a national decay, the sure penalty for the indulgence in enervating luxuries and the neglect of physical training.”
1865 Brookes
“Depend upon it, the minds and bodies of men would be far healthier, and their lives longer and happier, if the same attention and honour were paid now-a-days to strength and skill in athletic exercises as in the time of the ancient Greeks.”
Brookes speaking about using the Wenlock Olympian Games to spread his Olympian dream.
" Drop a stone in the middle of a lake,
and the little ring formed will go on
gradually increasing in circumference
till, at length the distant shore are
reached. Sow a single seed of a rare
plant in the most secluded spot and
if the soil and other conditions are
favourable to its germination, it will
grow up and bear another seed
and in time, produce plants sufficient
to cover the length and breadth
of the land."
His legacy is to be found in the goal of the National Olympian Association, of which Brookes was a founding member, 1874; “To promote physical education generally, but especially by gymnastic exercises in our National and Elementary schools.”
To this day the Principle Aim of the Wenlock Olympian Society is ; “To provide access to sport and the arts to people of every grade.”
