Sports clubs need access to funds for future health

From Hugh Raymond, chairman, Jersey Sports Council.

THE Olympics and Paralympics have taken up much of our prime time television and press over the last few weeks, with a feel good factor that has left sport very much on the minds of all those who have watched the successful GB team.

This in turn has begged many questions from the sporting community within Jersey as to where and how important sport is to the economic worth of our Island and finally to the health and welfare of the inhabitants.

The question of sport and the importance it is to the Island has been further highlighted by the successful rise of our rugby club and the publicity that will give as they take part in their first Championship season. Much has been written about the funding received from the States and many questions and discussions have taken place within all the sports represented here on the Island as to where other sports now stand.

We have over the years been successful in many sports, with many of our athletes achieving standards that go way beyond what one would expect from a community of 100,000 people. The support given to both individuals and teams has been supported by both the States of Jersey and local companies. In all but a few cases our sporting associations are volunteer-led, without whom no sport could survive.

Sport now is on the front pages as well as the back pages which, for Jersey, is somewhat unique and with taxpayers money playing an important part in the development of sport it is important that we get our act together to further develop not only our facilities, but also supporting our individuals and teams in the representation of Jersey.

There have been further issues, with playing fields likely to be lost to development and land owned by States bodies being possibly incorporated into limited companies. The present move by the States to make sure that all state-owned properties and facilities produce a commercial income means that some of our sporting associations will need some help.

It is not as simple as just putting up affiliation fees or charging more for people to take part, as it is a responsibility of the state to support the wellbeing of those involved in sport and that does mean funds being made available for supporting the work they do for so many people.

This comes to the point of my letter, which is that I would like to see a coherent policy put into place following discussions with all sports so that every association, club and games committee knows exactly what is available, how they can access these funds and what is in place for the future, especially with regards to facility development.

The way the recent disclosures with regard to the rugby funding has been dealt with has left a lot of sports people wondering how it is that the Jersey Rugby Football Club can access funds and yet other sports which have applied to the same funding pot have been turned down, yet seemingly having a good case to market the Island.

That is not to say that we do not support the applications made by rugby and I have said on many occasions good luck to them, especially as it now seems that sport is an essential part of selling the Island overseas, with the inherent return on the investment when supporters come with visiting teams.

However, they are a professional outfit and we all know that all other sports are very much run on an amateur basis and it would be shameful if all the hard work done by the volunteers across the Island within the clubs and associations could not access these funds from this pot if so deserving.

The Sports Council has 42 member associations who have been very supportive in what happens here in Jersey, but due to the recent funding the above questions are being asked and hopefully will lead to the debate as to what does Jersey want from its sporting bodies and what support will they get.

There is no question that the more people who lead a healthy life, the less of a strain on the resources of our doctors and hospital. If juniors, they are more attentive in school and become part of the community they live in and fully understand the importance of teamwork.

So is sport moving towards an importance not seen before? We have over the years tended to excuse ourselves by saying that education, health, the elderly and transport is more important but, as is becoming very clear, there is no doubt that the more we involve ourselves in sport, the less we are a drain on the society we live in.

I know that we are living in difficult times and the pot of money the Island has at its disposal is always under scrutiny ,but I believe with the number of people involved in all sports there is no better time for some of these questions to be answered and debated, as clarification is required by all those hard-working individuals who give up so much time in supporting all those associations that keep so many people involved.

Finally, I am not one that normally uses the letter page of the JEP, but I feel that having received so many comments over the last few months it is a way for me to thank so many people for the many constructive comments and letters of support for the work being undertaken by the Sports Council and the many members it has in its sporting bodies. I am sure there will be many battles ahead with the authorities, but if we work for sport in general and forget some of our internal differences, then surely we will succeed and our younger generation will benefit from the work being undertaken.