Bristol Sport Foundation are proud to announce the newest addition to our Bristol Flyers Basketball community programme.
The programme, called ‘Project Take-off’ aims to tackle inactivity and health inequalities in disadvantaged wards across the City of Bristol and West of England by supporting children from low-income families to start a lifelong enjoyment of basketball by creating a fun and inclusive first experience and by removing barriers to participation.
Split into four phases, the programme will take people on a journey from their first experience through to regular club sessions, by…
- Offering basketball sessions to targeted primary schools to create opportunities for children to experience our sport, many for the first time
- Working with schools to identify children who have shown a keen interest in the sport and who would benefit from support and bursaries to attend our weekly development hubs and basketball centre, teaching the children the skills and competencies they need to play a full basketball game
- We will further their enjoyment by inviting them to our holiday camps where they can apply their skills to gameplay in a fun environment
- Finally, we support participants to help them join regular club sessions and/or starting on the performance pathway
The programme will be funded, very generously, by our Nascence partner Coyne & Associates who are a Bristol based recruitment company. We are very grateful to Coyne & Associates for their continued support, especially in these most challenging of times.
Steve Coyne, Managing Director at Coyne & Associates, said: “I was really keen to ensure we could impact as wide an audience as possible over a sustained period of time. Sport provides for both formal and informal education. It has the potential to improve lives, help with the means to escape deprivation and intensify educational achievement. It is undoubtedly a multi-faceted force for change and has far-reaching and multiple influences.
“It is generally accepted that concentrations of poverty in areas of multiple deprivation impacts upon education. Education through sport interventions are proven to bolster educational capability, confidence, mental health and other learning skills that help not just education levels but working and social lives. Its therefore great to be part of “Project Take Off”.”
BSF’s Head of Programmes, Tom Monks, said: “Project Take Off, through Coyne & Associates generosity, will ensure that the most disadvantaged children in Bristol, whose physical activity levels have been affected the most by COVID-19, have a fun and inspiring opportunity to play basketball with their friends.
“The progressive programme is designed to engage whole classes in basketball PE lessons, through the passionate and knowledgeable coaching delivered by our Flyers Community basketball coaches, whilst providing a clear participation and performance pathway for the children who fall in love with the sport and want to keep progressing.”
Rob Webber, Head of Operations at Bristol Sport Foundation, said: “Project Take Off was created to highlight opportunities for children and young people living in high deprivation wards of Greater Bristol to start their journey towards a lifelong enjoyment of basketball. By combining our current programmes and initiatives and offering targeted bursaries and support we want to help remove financial barriers that are preventing people getting involved in our wonderful sport.
“We couldn’t offer all of this for free without the support of great people and we are so grateful to Steve and the guys at Coyne & Associates for their continued support and advocacy of this initiative. Together we can help your Basketball journey ‘Take Off’.”
