Yorkshire Sports Board, a group representing local authorities, the voluntary sector and the education sector, from across the Yorkshire and Humber region, will be launching their regional strategy on Friday (May 10) with the first event in York at the Guildhall.

To demonstrate how fun, easy and simple sport can be, there will be a 'tug of war' to launch the strategy involving members of the board, council officers, next year's civic party and local sports people - all who will be adding their weight to the strategy.

The Yorkshire Sports Board is charged by the Government with leading the region's sporting development and it is the link between the regional cultural strategy and the local cultural and sports strategies.

The Board aims to promote involvement in sport, investment in sport and excellence in sport - because it contributes to many social and economic agendas, as well as being developmental and fun.

Peter Price, chair of the Yorkshire Sports Board, said: "For many years I have strongly believed in the value of investing in sport and its role in economic and social regeneration and the bringing together of our communities. Sport can contribute to so many aspects of the quality of life affecting our communities, but I suppose most of all it is about fun, enjoyment, friendship and fulfilment to individuals and communities."

The Board's strategy includes six key themes which cover encouraging more people to get involved in sport, particularly young people, sport at grassroots level, developing excellence, sport affecting everyone and the need for more sport information, to demonstrate its contribution to communities.

The region's participation in sport is significant; over 25 million visits are made each year to local authority sport and leisure facilities and the region's 1,502 cricket teams play almost 20 percent of all cricket played in England.

The aim of the strategy is to provide a useful tool for all those people and organisations seeking to improve sporting provision across the region, providing a guide to work needed and providing information and data which will be useful to those making the case for sport in a range of forums.

There will be launches of the strategy across the region, and the Board will be presenting the strategy to sports ministers, MPs from across Yorkshire and the Humber region and other representatives of national sports bodies at Westminster on Wednesday, 22nd May 2002.

Councillor Alan Jones, City of York Council's executive member for leisure and heritage, said, "I think it is vitally important to recognise the contribution of the voluntary sector here.

"Organisations in the sector play a key role in providing opportunities in sport, coaching and facilities and also make an important contribution to community life."

Anyone wanting more information about the Yorkshire Sports Board should contact the secretary, David Macpherson on 0114 273 6950.

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