Following the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review and the Education Secretary, Michael Gove’s correspondance to the Youth Sport Trust, Baroness Sue Campbell has written a letter in response, highlighting the successes of School Sport Partnerships in raising the quantity and quality of sport for young people.

In it, Baroness Campbell acknowledges the need to make significant budget cuts but expresses her deep disappointment at the decision to completely cut the funding for school sport.

She praised the tireless efforts of the professional staff employed by the School Sport Partnerships and the huge army of volunteers that work with them in not only meeting the targets set for them by the previous government but in exceeding every single one.

Baroness Campbell highlighted the international recognition that this country had received in its success at reversing the trend of youth inactivity.

She quoted Wenda Donaldson, Director of Community Sport, Australian Sports Commission who said “I am absolutely devastated to hear of the cuts to the School Sport Partnership models. I am astounded that such an amazing and world-leading initiative has been lost to the communities they serviced”

Baroness Campbell suggested that perhaps the school sport network had been poorly to Michael Gove and that its immense success in empowering young people, building local, effective delivery systems and laying the foundation for a true legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games had somehow been overlooked.

She concluded by saying that the Youth Sport Trust would stay true to its mission and continue its work with schools to build a bright future for young people in and through sport.

Source: The Youth Sport Trust