West Midlands Sport & recreation

Facts and figures

• Sport generates £3bn in annual turnover and £1bn in annual value-added.
• Approximately 650,000 people participate in organised sports clubs.
• Residents spend £1.2bn annually on sports-related goods and services.
• 135 private health clubs in the region (8% of England) with a further 48 planned.
• 281 public sports centres (10% of England) with a further 44 sports centres planned.

Working in the West Midlands region

Sonia Birch is the regional development manager for the West Midlands. Operating in close partnership with Sport England, Sonia is working with the Sector Skills Development Agency, the Learning and Skills Council, and County Sports Partnerships to engage with local employers and training providers.

Future developments for the West Midlands

• Establishing an Employer network and a training provider network for the West Midlands sport and leisure sector;
• Developing regional research to inform key funding agencies and stakeholders to improve opportunities for training and development for employers their workforce; 
• Developing the Sport and Leisure Executive Group (SLEG) which will steer the employer/training provider networks, respond and take forward the recommendations of the Sports Employment Research 2004 and Regional Action Plan 2006; 
• Raising the profile and lobby the importance of the sector to key regional funders and stakeholders influencing strategic planning;
• Working in partnership with regional county sports partnerships/national governing bodies of sport on workforce development.

Contact information

Carl Rogers
Regional Development Manager
SkillsActive
c/o Sport England
5th Floor
No.3 Broadway
Five Ways
Birmingham
B15 1BQ
M: 07841 981147
E: carl.rogers@skillsactive.com