Coventry City Council

Almost 100 volunteers attended a workshop to see how they could get people out of the starting blocks and to pursue an interest in sport.

CSW Sport held the latest workshop for Sport England’s Sport Makers programme – a programme for adults who’d like to make sport happen for their friends, neighbours or colleagues – at Broad Street Rugby Club in Binley Woods.

British Olympic 400m sprinter Daniel Caines from Solihull also attended the workshop and helped to run interactive sessions after giving an inspirational talk around his experiences leading up to competing at the Sydney Olympics Games in 2000.

The workshop was one of over 50 CSW Sport is in the process of organising across the region, with the aim of attracting over 800 people in Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire to get involved and be inspired by the national Sport Makers scheme – which is part of the Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country.

The series of workshops is designed to help potential Sport Makers gain the skills and opportunities to get involved in sport in the region. Sport Makers will be introduced to organisations that need their help, and join forces with others who want to make sport happen locally. There will also be opportunities to meet top athletes and plenty of incentives to stay involved.

Ian Mclean, from CSW Sport, said: “With London 2012 now fast-approaching, we have a unique opportunity to inspire people to become involved in sport.

“By becoming a Sport Maker, people are able to help others get involved in sport in Coventry Solihull or Warwickshire while having fun yourself.”

Of those in attendance, the majority were part of the Coventry Ambassadors scheme which will see hundreds of volunteers placed at key locations in the city to welcome visitors to Coventry during London 2012. Coventry Ambassadors is funded by Coventry City Council, and is a partnership programme delivered by Coventry University and supported by Voluntary Action Coventry and CSW Sport.

David Boughey, lead coordinator for the Coventry Ambassadors programme, said: “We chose to invite the Coventry Ambassadors to the workshop because, as people who have already demonstrated a key interest in sport and volunteering, we feel they are more likely to follow-up the session and become involved in sport in their communities.

“We have provided them with information about the wide range of opportunities available and we are confident many will become Sport Makers – resulting in a fantastic sporting legacy for the region.”

For more information on the Lottery-funded Sport Makers programme or details on how to get involved visit www.sportmakers.co.uk