Warwick Sport welcomes visit from British politicians

Parliamentary figures visited Warwick Sport on Monday 16 February to discuss ways to involve young people in the community.

The political figures were Coventry MEP Dan Dalton and Coventry South parliamentary candidate Gary Ridley.

This visit was made in conjunction with a visit to Wasps RFC, who have moved to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry this season.

The two organisations are keen to focus on the role of sport in community engagement.

The talks also come at a similar time to the development of new campus sport facilities and when Warwick Sport are increasingly collaborating with regional and national sporting bodies.

Director of Warwick Sport Lisa Dodd-Mayne commented: “We enjoy a really positive dialogue with our local community partners, including the Coventry sport network, about opportunities that can add value to our student experiences.”

She asserted that: “adding value to the student experience is at the core of any engagement we take part in” and suggested that all the new initiatives and programmes are working towards this aim.

Mr Ridley made reference to Warwick Sport’s continuing work with local schools, clubs and charities, saying: “Both organisations have a good track record of getting involved in the community”.

He has also described Warwick Sport as having “first class facilities… that have hosted the International Children’s Games and acted as an Olympic training venue”.

Mr Dalton, a key player in the discussions, saw the work with Warwick Sport as an opportunity to build on the legacy of the Olympic Games and a way to get young people more involved in the community.

Before turning towards a political career, Mr Dalton used to play cricket for various county teams, including Warwickshire, and he firmly believes in the empowering value of sport in the community.

Regarding sport’s benefits he stated: “It can help get [young people] more involved in the community giving them the opportunity to meet new people, develop new skills and become more confident”.