From The Daily Telegraph Sports Letters pages.

"Sir - Sally Wainman is right when she says that Sport England have appointed a commercial director with a brief to secure partnership funding from the private sector for community sport (Letters, Nov 2). This does not signal, however, the end of public provision as we know it. In fact, making sure community sport remains affordable to all is one of our priorities.

Bringing the private sector on board to help us create better opportunities for people to take part in sport is something we need to do better. We make no apologies for looking beyond the public purse to take the benefits of sport to a wider audience.

We will continue to invest the public and Lottery money at our disposal wisely. The last month has seen a 50-metre pool open in Leeds and plans unveiled for one in Hillingdon, London - both benefiting from Sport England Lottery funding. Since 2004, there has been a net increase in the number of swimming pools in England.

Our ambition is to get two million doing more sport by 2012. It can only be delivered by a true partnership between public and private sectors. (no mention of the community, voluntary or not-for-profit sector?, Ed)

Derek Mapp

Chairman, Sport England "

(Via Daily Telegraph Letters to the Sports Editor - Telegraph: .)

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| press and publicity | 9 November 2007; 4:06:39 PM |# | | Discuss |

The University of Leicester has been looking at why we all walk around in leisure-wear nowadays. Is it because we are so sporty or because we now need an elasticated waistband [LINK].

"The booming fitness industry has done little to curb the obesity epidemic, according to leading academic researchers.

While gyms and private health clubs have grown in popularity in recent years, the nation's weight has grown too.

The reason for the paradox, they said, is that such clubs tend to attract wealthier people, leaving the less well-off struggling to find ways to combat weight problems." ...

"At the top end of the market, high income earners can afford excellent services and an enlightened approach to fitness, but at the bottom end of the market, middle and lower income earners can afford fewer and lower quality services and a factory approach to fitness. ...

But she argued that inactivity and obesity are problems for society as a whole and they require collective solutions.

"Physical exercise can be reintroduced as an integral part of everyday life, rather than yet another activity to be squeezed into an already shrinking supply of free time."

(Via University of Leicester Keep-fit boom fails to stem obesity | Press Office: .)

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| in the news | 9 November 2007; 2:02:46 AM |# | | Discuss |