News in Bridgend County Borough

Anne Anderson, Disability Sport Cymru Officer, Moves On

Anne Andersson, Disability Sport Cymru Officer, has left Bridgend Sports Development Unit to take up a post with a leisure and sports trust in England.

Anne, who has been working in Bridgend County Borough for 6 years, has made a valued contribution to the development of disability sport in Wales and in particular provided disabled

Andrew Thomas, Sport & Recreation Manager (Development) said ”A number of high quality clubs and programmes have been established and we are working with Disability Sports Cymru to identify how to take the programme forward in the future. As we head towards the 2012 Paralympic Games we are confident that a number of Bridgend based athletes will feature and this would be a great opportunity to inspire other young people”.

All at Bridgend Sports Development Unit would like to thank Anne for her efforts and wish her all the best for the future. (February 2007)

5x60 Cynffig Comprehensive

Have fun and get active!
During the Autumn Term Cynffig Comprehensive School has extended its extra curricular programme by introducing the new Sports Council Wales 5x60 initiative. Working in partnership with Karen Winch from the Sports Development Unit, the school has introduced a number of different activities including, trampolining, girl’s rugby, girl’s football, cheerleading, boxing, dodge ball, basketball and hockey.

The new hockey sessions have proven to be very successful with over 30 girls attending the sessions and 15-20 girls attending on a regular basis in order to improve their hockey skills and have fun.

The school has challenged a number of schools to matches both home and away including games against Pencoed, Brynteg and Porthcawl Comprehensive Schools.

Two year eleven students have been assisting the delivery of these sessions after attending a Hockey Leaders Course organised and paid for through the 5x60 project. Let’s hope they become coaches of the future!

This is just one of the exciting activities being developed at the school in order to get more young people active. Many more activities will be developed in the future, giving variety and choice to the young people attending Cynffig Comprehensive School. (Posted February 2007)

Sharks Celebrate 5 Years In Style

Bridgend Sharks disability swimming club recently celebrated its fifth birthday in style and even got the TV cameras involved.

Sharks were the first club to be set up in the Bridgend area under the Disability Sport Wales scheme and have gone on to be considered one of the best in Wales.

Starting with 4 swimmers Sharks now have between twenty and thirty swimmers each week and have a Tuesday performance session in Maesteg to add to a Thursday open to all club night in Pencoed.

With 5 qualified swimming teachers and coaches, volunteering at each Sharks session, the club regularly involves swimmers in local and organised competition, British Championships where Sharks have always been represented, or even trips abroad such as a visit to a sports festival in Denmark.

The night of the birthday party was also exciting for the Sharks swimmers as one of the coaches was being filmed for a Coaching Wales, Coach of the Year Award, allowing every member of the squad the opportunity to get themselves on television whilst adding to a great atmosphere that was only to increase after the session when the squad moved on for a very successful party.

Bridgend Sharks aim to cater for anyone with a disability who wishes to swim, The club is extremely popular and spaces are very limited, however if you wish to become involved, please contact Pam Abbott 01656 880422

5x60
The Welsh Assembly Government has laid down the fitness gauntlet by setting the target of seeing 90% of children taking part in 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on at least five days of the week by 2020.

Many young people take part in school sport, but fewer who take part in activities outside of school. After they leave compulsory education most young people do not take part in any form of regular sport or physical activity at all!!

Only 24% of secondary school age children do 5x60 minutes of physical activity per week and children progressing from Dragon Sport into year 7 lack opportunities to continue extracurricular activity

The main aim of the 5x60 programme is:

* To increase the percentage that children of secondary school age undertake 5x60 minutes of sport and physical activity.

* Focus on children taking part in less than 5x60 minutes of activity per week.

* Create children leaving school who are positive about sport and physical activity, skilful, knowledgeable and active.

Through the Sports Council for Wales, a number of 5x60 officers have been placed in local schools in the Bridgend area. The officers currently work with 4 secondary schools; Bryntirion, Cynffig, Maesteg and Ynysawdre.