Wokingham

Double Olympic Gold medallist and Team B&Q Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes made a special visit to the Wokingham district to launch the district council’s ‘free assistance for national sports people scheme’ at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre.

The countdown for the 2012 Olympic Games in London has started and many of the national athletes live in the Wokingham district. As a result, the district council, in partnership with Leisure Connection, has today (August 8) launched this new scheme. National athletes from the Wokingham district* will now be able to take free advantage of the facilities at any of the council-owned centres – Loddon Valley Leisure Centre in Lower Earley, St Crispin’s and Carnival Pool in Wokingham – as they aspire to become medallists at future Olympic Games.

Cllr Dianne King, executive member for community development, said: “There are many athletes and sportsmen and women living in the Wokingham district who are part of the national squads. Providing them with free access to our leisure centres means they can spend more time training close to where they live. They will enjoy all the benefits on offer and can take advantage of excellent facilities including the gyms, swimming pools, badminton courts and trampolines to name just a few. I would be delighted to see some of our athletes picking up Olympic medals in the 2012 Games in front of a home crowd!”

Dame Kelly Holmes said: “I’m delighted that as part of my work for Team B&Q I’ve been able to visit Loddon Valley Leisure Centre and help to launch the ‘free assistance for national sport people’ scheme. This scheme will provide huge benefits for aspiring Olympians in the Wokingham district and will ensure that the medallists of tomorrow have access to outstanding training facilities and support. It’s great that Wokingham District Council and Team GB sponsor B&Q, with its athlete development programme, are doing such a great job in helping aspiring Olympians to fulfil their potential and hopefully win Olympic medals.”

A number of local schoolchildren from Robert Piggott Infant School in Wargrave took part in a sports hall athletics display for Dame Kelly Holmes, who thoroughly enjoyed watching the efforts of the talented pupils.

Cllr Angus Ross, chairman of Wokingham District Council, who joined Dame Kelly Holmes in launching this scheme, said: “I hope that many youngsters will now be inspired to get active and take up a sport. The pupils of Robert Piggott Infant School had a great day meeting their sporting heroine Dame Kelly Holmes – it was certainly a day to remember!

“The district council is committed to ensuring that our aspiring Olympians have free access to our sports facilities and I am delighted that Dame Kelly Holmes joined us to launch this exciting scheme.”

Wokingham District Council last month (July) approved its new leisure, sport and recreation strategy. The strategy aims to encourage young people to gain a life-long interest in sport and recreation. The district council is committed to opening up new opportunities for all ages to participate in sport and recreational activities on a regular basis in a bid to tackle obesity. The council is embarking on steps to ensure all sporting facilities are first rate and that it supports the district’s sporting stars of the future.

Wokingham District Council