“A population in which nearly 40% of all elderly people live alone and are acutely aware of loneliness had clearly not yet found how, through their leisure activities , to add re-engagement to retirement on any significant scale – except for a small minority with large incomes and with some experience of further or higher education”
Abrams, M. (1995) ‘Leisure Time Use by the Elderly and Leisure Provision for the Elderly’, in C. Critcher, P. Bramham and A. Tomlinson (eds), Sociology of Leisure – A Reader, London: E & FN Spon
2.1 – Active England in the Community
The ‘Active England’ programme encourages innovative community sports projects across the country. These include finding ways of attracting older people, supporting family activities with childcare and better use of rural and urban spaces. The two lottery distribution bodies also envisage ‘Active England’ helping to mark the country’s commitment to increasing grassroots participation in sport.
“Lottery money is a driving force behind sport at all levels and this new ‘Active England’ programme will widen access to physical activity and sport in some of our most deprived communities. The flexible and accessible facilities this funding will provide have an important role to play in increasing participation- giving people the chance to get fit and stay fit, whatever their circumstances”
Caborn. R, Sport England, 2004. Active England Backs 20 North East Projects [Online]. Available from: . Accessed 03.11.04
2.2 – The Relationship between ‘Active England’ and Key Partner Agencies
This enhanced sporting provision will be at the heart of local communities. It will bring local people long-term benefits for their health and well being. This funding will create and improve facilities by providing new equipment and extending opportunities to get involved. National Lottery players can take pride in the fact that they are contributing to the creation of more active communities.
‘Active England’ has purposely funded creative projects which aim to encourage newcomers to try out sport and physical activity for the first time. This approach will help communities to become healthier as well as assist Sport England in achieving its vision of making England the most active and successful sporting nation in the world.
“We want people, young people particularly, off the street corners, getting them away from frightening old ladies and breaking windows, and getting them into sports areas where they can participate at their own level, have fun, enjoy themselves and really feel that they are part of something that is totally enjoyable and that is being a Briton and enjoying life in Britain.”
Peter Lawson, (speaking on BBC Radio 4 Programme Children and Sport, March 1986), Horne J et al, (1999), Understanding Sport – An Introduction to the Sociological and Cultural Analysis of Sport, E and FN Spon
3.0– Contemporary Issue’s faced by ‘Active England’
In today’s society, there are a wide array of issues in which organisations must consider and prepare for if they want to be successful and act as a pivotal point in the community.
The impact of lottery funding is an issue which ‘Active England’ rely on heavily to support and fund their programme.
“The National Lottery Commission replaced the Office of the National Lottery (OFLOT) in April 1999 under the National Lottery Act 1998. The commission is responsible for the granting, varying and enforcing of licenses to run the National Lottery. Its duties are to ensure that the National Lottery is run with all due propriety, that the interests of players are protected, and subject to these two objectives that return to the ‘good causes’ are maximised.”
Pike. F, (136th edition, 2004), Whitaker’s Almanac, Today’s World in One Volume, A&C Black LTD
3.1 – Good Causes Fail to Sell National Lottery Tickets
The issue in which concerns the ‘Active England’ programme is that the sale of national lottery tickets is gradually declining.
Research by Professor Ian Walker an Economist at the University of Warwick shows that lottery ticket sales are not influenced in anyway by the fact that the lottery supports “good causes” or the nature of those good causes. The dream of winning large sums of money is the only real driver of ticket sales.
However, Professor Walkers research shows otherwise: The figure below shows the history of sales before, during (right in the middle of the graph) and after that controversy for the five main games. He says “You don’t need to be a trained statistician to see that the effects of rollovers in the lotto games and that there is a slight decline in sales for lotto over the period. So – no support here that bad causes matter for sales.”
See graphs below:
Walker. I, 2004. Good Causes fail to Sell National Lottery Tickets [Online]. Available from: . Accessed on 09.11.04
3.2 – Olympics Lottery Fund and the 12% Lottery Duty
The Government were asked to state clearly how it will ensure that money currently raised for good causes, is not diverted to the Olympic bid, resulting in a reduction in the funding of voluntary and community organisations doing vital work throughout the UK.
The 12% tax on every National Lottery ticket sold, worth £549 million per year or nearly £5 billion since 1994, should be split between good causes and lottery players instead of going to the Government.
“I do not believe that the public want the lottery to be just another Government tax sparing only 28p from the sale of each Lotto ticket and scratch card for good causes. If the government are serious about reconnecting the lottery with the people then they should give half their annual £549 million tax cut to the good causes and half back to the players.”
Etherington. S, 2003. Olympics Lottery Fund and the 12% Lottery Duty [Online]. Available from: . Accessed on 09.11.04
3.3 - Measures taken by ‘Sport England’
Through this sudden decline in National Lottery sales, the above organisation have had to come up with strategic backup plans for alternate methods of funding and other ways of promoting their campaign and to make sure that they suddenly don’t run out of money after promising bright and prosperous things to the nation.
Sport England is possibly one of the National Lottery’s largest “good causes” funding receiver and with the sales down by 2% from previous years, Sport England has to be careful with how they spend their money.
It is perhaps more difficult for voluntary and public sector clubs to receive funding through the thorough and detailed application process than before the cutbacks. The club must have a charter mark of high standard, a comprehensive code of conduct and practice for all parties involved and they must be able to prove that the money really will be able to change people’s lives. Whereas a number of years ago, it was rumoured that almost any club could receive funding if they wanted, and the nation saw money go to waste, which can no longer happen.
With Sport England under fire by the media brought along a newly appointed chief executive, this created upset. Many people’s jobs were seen as not making enough contribution the cause and were subsequently axed.
3.4 – Future Recommendations
Below is a shower of ideas in which ‘Active England’ can consider to be successful in the future:
- – Conclusion
Throughout the portfolio, the key issues in which ‘sport’ must adapt to have been identified.
With the National Lottery ticket sales slowly increasing again, funding for sports programmes should become readily available if suitably justified.
