Hockey coaches, umpires, volunteers and club administrators are being urged to air their views for the House of Lords’ new committee which will scrutinise the government’s policies on grassroots sport.
In a column for The Hockey Paper, Baroness Estelle Morris said that the National Plan for Sport and Recreation needs to hear from people directly about the challenges they face and how government, elite sports organisations, governing bodies and others can do more to help.
Baroness Morris said: “We will read all submissions and some of those submitting evidence may be asked to join the Committee for an oral evidence session so we can explore the issues raised further.”
The committee is set to scrutinise whether the government’s five outcome priorities – physical health, mental health, individual development, social and community development and economic development – were the right ones and if the government was successful in delivering.
Lord Willis of Knaresborough, who chairs the Committee, said: “The strategy in 2015 followed a long period where we saw significant investment in sport after the introduction of lottery funding and the 2012 Olympics.
“However, we have also seen stagnant physical activity rates and changes in the way people keep active. The time has come to ask whether the Government have the right priorities for helping more people to live active lifestyles.
“Our inquiry will only be as strong as the evidence we get and I would encourage anyone with an interest in these issues to give us their views. We would love to hear from people delivering sports and recreation at the grassroots to understand what help they need to get more people active.”
All those seeking to air their views have until Friday.
