The Leisure and Recreation Industry.
Contents
Assessment Evidence Sheet
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2
Introduction
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3
Development of the Leisure and Recreation Industry
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4
Increase in Leisure time available
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4
Increase in Disposable income
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4
Improved Mobility
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5
Demographic Changes
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7
Changes in Fashion and Trends
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7
Technological Developments
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8
Significance of the Leisure and Recreation Industry
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0
Consumer Spending on Leisure and recreation products
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0
Numbers of People Employed
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1
Participation Trends in popular activities
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3
Components of the Leisure and Recreation Industry
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5
Arts and Entertainment
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5
Sports and Physical Recreation
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6
Heritage
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8
Catering
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20
Countryside Recreation
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20
Home-Based Leisure
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22
Structure of the Leisure and Recreation Industry
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23
Public Sector
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23
Private Sector
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26
Voluntary Sector
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29
Employment in the Leisure and Recreation Industry
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31
Arts and Entertainment
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31
Sports and Physical Recreation
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31
Catering
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32
Heritage Attractions
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32
Countryside Recreation
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32
Home-Based Leisure
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32
Single Job Description
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33
Curriculum Vitae
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35
Bibliography
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37
Assessment Evidence Sheet
E-grade Evidence
E1 - pages 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
E2 - pages 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
E3 - pages 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
E4 - pages 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
E5 - pages 31, 32, 33, 34
E6 - page 35
C-grade Evidence
C1 - page 1
C2 - Throughout
C3 - pages 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
C4 - pages 33, 34
A-grade Evidence
A1 - pages 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
A2 - page 37
A3 - pages 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 19, 21
Leisure is the time when an individual is not at work. The Oxford English Dictionary defines leisure as 'The state of having time at one's own disposal; time which one can spend as one pleases; free or unoccupied time.' This definition means that leisure time is entirely up the individual who's leisure time it is, to do what ever he or she wishes to do. The individual may spend that leisure time as the wish, i.e. the decision to carry out an activity in leisure time is completely up to the person. The specific timing of leisure time it after and only after the person has completed all their chores and all their work. During leisure time the individual will be free of responsibilities and duties.
Recreation is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language as 'Refreshment of one's mind or body after work through activity that amuses or stimulates; play.' This definition means that the individual that is in a period of recreation is relaxing and allowing his or her mind to recuperate. This relaxation and recuperation is carried out in the form of an activity that will encourage play, which is a very relaxing and also a stress-free activity.
There are four main types of leisure activities, these four are:
> Active Leisure- this is an activity that is physically strenuous, e.g. playing sports.
> Passive Leisure- this leisure activity is less demanding in terms of energy requirement, e.g. watching television.
> Home-based Leisure- this is an activity that can simply be carried out within the vicinity of the household, e.g. listening to music.
> Away from home Leisure- this is obviously an activity that is carried out outside the locality of the house, e.g. trip to the cinema.
Leisure activities are determined on the personnel preference of the individual. Therefore there are a number of factors that affect an activity and individual will partake in. These factors include:
>
> Age
> Sex
> Family Status
> Location
> Religion
> Friend
There are also a number of factors that affect the leisure activity, in terms of what is available. Changing trends in fashion and also technology will determine the number of activities and types that are available. Another important factor will be socio-economic conditions. This means that the higher the socio-economic group the more expensive the activities, e.g. golf. For these reasons the Leisure and Recreation Industry is the fasting growing industry in the world.
TASK 1
The key factors that have promoted the leisure and recreation industry since the 1960's are listed below:
Increase in leisure time available for many individuals
Since the 1960's there has been a considerable increase in the amount of leisure time that is available to an individual. This is seen by the increase in the size of the leisure industry. The fundamental factor determining peoples' participation in leisure is the amount of free time available to them. If people have little leisure time available to them then they will not be able to pursue many leisure activities. There are two main reasons for the increase in the amount of leisure time available to an individual. These are:
. Reduction of Working time- the length of the working week has tended to decline throughout most of this century, thus giving people in work more leisure time
2. Increase in Holiday Privileges- For example, in the UK in 1961 97% of full-time manual workers had a basic entitlement of two weeks holiday. By 1990 this had increased to four weeks for 90% of full-time manual workers.
In 1992/93 the average male would have up to 51.4 hours a week that could be used as leisure time. The average female would have about 41.6 hours a week for leisure time.
Increase in disposable income
Since the 1960's there has been an increase in disposable income. This is seen by the increase in the amount of Consumer Expenditure, which was £110 billion. The four major areas of the industry that have contributed to such a large consumer expenditure are:
> Neighbourhood Leisure
> Holidays and Tourism
> Home Based Leisure
> Eating and Drinking
Approximately £1 billion is spent each year on the management and maintenance of parks and open spaces. The Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) market for Grounds Maintenance is worth around £492 million per annum. Approximately 30% of local authorities have management plans for their parks Leisure Centres in the UK.
There are:
. 1300 Sports & Leisure Centres
2. 250 Sports Halls
3. 1700 Private Health Clubs
4. 70 Leisure Pools
5. There are approximately 500 million visits to leisure centres each year.
6. 10% of the population use a leisure centre regularly
7. 52% of the population never use a leisure centre
Tourist attractions are an area where a lot of money, which is received from the disposable income, is spent. Tourist attractions can be very expensive, especially if the attraction is overseas. It becomes expensive due to essential requirements that are needed in order for an individual to enjoy the attraction.
Below is a table of the top tourist attractions in the United Kingdom:
ATTRACTION
VISITORS
ATTRACTION
VISITORS
Historic Houses/Monuments
Country Parks
Tower of London
2.33 million
Strathclyde Country Park
4.00 million
Edinburgh Castle
.04 million
Lee Valley Regional Park
2.00 million
Cathedrals
Steam Railways
Westminster Abbey
2.50 million
North York Moors
0.25 million
York Minster
2.25 million
Ffestiniog
0.19 million
Gardens
Leisure Parks & Piers
Hampton Court 1.10 million
.10 million
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
6.75 million
Roundhay Park, Leeds
.09 million
Palace Pier, Brighton
3.50 million
Alton Towers
2.61 million
Museums & Galleries
British Museum
5.82 million
Workplace Attractions
National Gallery
3.88 million
Poole Pottery, Dorset
0.75 million
Walkley Clogs, Hebden Bridge
0.65 million
Wildlife Attractions
Baxters Visitor Centre, Speyside
0.19 million
London Zoo
0.86 million
Glenturret Distillery, Crieff
0.19 million
Chester Zoo
0.81 million
Source: citymutual- National Tourist Board- 1994
Below is a graph shows the distribution of household expenditure in the UK, in94/95 for nine different areas:
Source: citymutul.com- Household Expenditure, 94-95 plans
Improved mobility
Mobility is the term that I have used to indicate the methods by which an individual may reach their location. Since the 1960's mobility has definitely improved, I say definitely because there has been the introduction of more advance, and faster trains, more airplanes that are available to an individual, but the most significant change is the increase in the number of car ownership.
The bulk of people making day visits, which was 80% of the total, were from households with cars, and car owners were over represented among visit-takers; only 67 % of households in Britain have a car. People with cars also were in the majority among those who hadn't make a day visit, but the proportion of people in this group who didn't have a car (42%) was more than twice that recorded for visit-takers (20%).
Access to personal mobility, particularly access to a car, is a major influence on people's ability to involve themselves in many sorts of leisure activity. Growth in personal ownership of motorcars in the UK has risen dramatically since the end of the Second World War and has had a great impact on both the travel and tourism and the leisure and recreation industries. The number of private cars in Britain rose from 2.3 million in 1950 to 11 million in 1970 and to more than 20 million in 1995.
Car ownership in the UK is forecasted to increase; this is because people become richer. An increase in the financial turnover that a family receives then the economic activity for of that family will also increase. An aspect of car ownership that goes hand in hand is the increase in the size of the motorways.
Over the page is a graph that shows the increase in car ownership:
Source: citymutual.com- Leisure Intelligence, MINTEL- 1991
Demographic changes
Age is a major factor in influencing leisure and recreation participation and choice. Since the 1960's there has been an increase in the number of people aged over 60 that are taking part in the leisure and recreation industry. The primary reason for this is that these ages of people are living longer. This also means that the elderly people are getting more interested in leisure and recreation activities, and therefore there is an increase in participation in leisure activities. Closely with a number of other factors, which influence how people spend their leisure time, namely wedded and employment status. For example young people are less likely to have responsibilities for dependent children (or dependent old people) another; people in their twenties to forties are more likely to be in full-time employment; older people are more likely to be retired; etc.
Age is a very influential factor when it comes to seeing how many hours per week and individual does particular activity. Below is a table of the number of hours a week different aged individuals do a different activity.
Activity
Hours
per week
6-24
25-34
35-44
45-59
60 and over
Television or radio
4
5
3
7
26
Visiting friends
7
5
4
4
4
Reading
2
3
6
Talking, socialising and telephoning friends
3
3
3
4
4
Eating and drinking out
6
4
4
4
2
Hobbies, games and computing
2
2
3
3
Walks and other recreation
2
2
2
3
Doing nothing (may include illness)
2
2
Sports participation
3
Religious, political and other meetings
-
-
Concerts, cinema and sport spectating
-
-
-
Other
-
-
-
-
Source: citymutual.com- ESRC Research Center on Micro-social Change, from Omnibus Survey
Change in fashion and trends
There has been a clear change in the fashion and trends of the Leisure and Recreation Industry since the 1960's. The lifestyles of UK residents have changed considerably over the past few years, and a key element in this development has been the change in the pattern of their leisure activities. These leisure activities include:
> There has been an increased development of the old-fashioned holiday camps in to the new hi-tech holiday centers.
> Fluctuating popularity of individual and team sports
> Increased recognition of home-based leisure activities, such as home entertainment systems.
> An increase in the health and fitness areas of the leisure and recreation industry, this because people are more aware of health benefits.
> The development of old, one-screen cinemas into the new, technologically advanced, multi-screen cinemas
> The reduction in the number of city shopping centers, and therefore an increase in multi story leisure parks, that includes shopping malls and cinemas.
Reports consider both current and future demand for the products and services that meet the needs of this market and its segments. They also examine how suppliers are adapting to these changes and providing products to address new needs.
Over the past 5 years, not only has total UK consumer spending been increasing more rapidly than household income, but leisure activities have also been increasing their share of consumer spending. Although leisure activities may be considered as `non-essential', many consumers rank them highly on their list of spending preferences, once the necessities of life are provided for.
Several economic influences affect the decision to purchase the products of the leisure activities sector, and at present most of these indicators are favourable. Unemployment continues at a low level, and consumer confidence remains high. UK economic expansion is expected to proceed at a sustainable rate, leading to continued growth in consumer spending in general and spending on leisure activities in particular.
UK government policies will continue to recognise the contribution made by the industries that support leisure activities, although regulatory controls will continue to be a constraint.
Social and demographic changes, notably changes in the age profile of the population and reductions in household size, are likely to affect the balance between different leisure activities. However, these effects will be felt mainly in the longer term, with the short-term outlook continuing to be influenced more by fluctuations in the economy.
Technological developments
Since the 1990's there has been a major increase in the amount of technological developments. The major two technological developments that have been developed drastically are is the car and the television.
> The car is one the biggest development that the leisure industry has seen; this is because the car allows an individual to reach a site that provides a leisure activity without to much hassle.
> The television is another development that has influenced the lives of many individuals. This is because watching television has become a very large area of the leisure and recreation industry. The television has a lot of accessories that encourage individuals to by television sets. These accessories include:
* DVD machines
* VCR machines
* Computer consoles, e.g. Sony Playstation?
* Home entertainment systems
Technology has not only influenced home-based activities, but has also changed and improved 'outdoor' leisure activities. The outdoor leisure activities that have benefited from the increase in technological development are the theme parks. This is because a lot of a theme park depends on better technology in order for it to be more satisfying and enjoyable for the customers.
There are a number of other areas that technology has been able to manipulate, these are included:
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* DVD machines
* VCR machines
* Computer consoles, e.g. Sony Playstation?
* Home entertainment systems
Technology has not only influenced home-based activities, but has also changed and improved 'outdoor' leisure activities. The outdoor leisure activities that have benefited from the increase in technological development are the theme parks. This is because a lot of a theme park depends on better technology in order for it to be more satisfying and enjoyable for the customers.
There are a number of other areas that technology has been able to manipulate, these are included:
* In the media (home listening, viewing, reading,) the multimedia product has captured the imagination, with on-line services, particularly the Internet, overtaking the database ROM.
* The music industry has been motivated by technology for more than a decade. Computerised music and the shift to new formats can create new types of music, such the transfer of 'old music' from disc to CD.
* Many tourist attractions have been made much more attractive technology. This is clearly seen in theme parks, but it has also had a big impact in museums and various heritage attractions through the introduction of interactive displays in museums.
TASK 2
Consumer Spending in the UK on Leisure and Recreation products and services
This area is a vast area; therefore it is very difficult to be precise in the figures that are calculated. A lot of the consumer spending total is achieved through the household expenditure. Below is the table of the 1994 household expenditure:
ITEM
Amount (£ billion)
Housing
66.6
Motor Vehicles
52.9
Food
47.4
Recreation & Cultural services
37.2
Catering
36.9
Household goods & Services
27.2
Alcohol
25.8
Clothing & Footwear
24.7
Monetary services
6.9
Fuel, light and power
4.9
Other travel
4
Tobacco
1
Post & telecommunications
7.9
Books, newspapers & magazines
5.5
Other goods & services
29.3
Less expenditure by foreign tourists, etc
1.3
Household expenditure abroad
3.8
All household expenditure
420.4
Source: citymutual.com- Central Statistical Office
This table shows that £37.2 billion were spent on Recreation and Culture services, which is 8.8% of total household expenditure.
Sports is an extremely large area in the leisure and recreation industry, therefore the consumer spending in sports will have a considerable impact on the consumer spending in the UK. Sports provides a lot of expenditure in a number of ways:
Hosting world events- such as the European Football Competition. In 1996 the United Kingdom hosted the European Football competition, which is the second largest football competition in the world. This tournament generated £120 million in eight host cities.
Subscription fees- this is the amount of money that is paid by an individual to become a member of a club. In The U.K. the subscription fees have increased by an incredible 115% from 1985 to 1995.
Subscription to digital television- in a year digital television increases the amount of money spent by the consumer by £2.5 billion. There are also deals that are signed between different councils, such as the Football Association, and television channels. In 1997 the BSKYB and the English Premier League signed a contract that would produce £670 million in about four years.
The average amount that a household will spend in a week will depend on the amount of disposable income that that family receives.
The number of people Employed in the Industry
There are roughly about 1.7 million people employed by the Leisure and Recreation industry. 1.7 million is equivalent to 12% of the entire work force in the United Kingdom. This is one of the largest employment providers, it provides approximately 50,000 jobs. Below is a pie chart that shows the employment in the UK Leisure industry:
Source: citymutual.com- Key Note 1993
This pie chart shows that most of the employment in the UK leisure Industry in 1994 was in the Librarians, Museums, Art galleries, Sports and other recreational services. I think that this area had the most number of individuals employed because it required a lot of employees doing petit jobs. The least employed area was in the Nightclubs and licensed clubs area; the probable reason for this is that this sort employment did not need a lot of employees. The total amount of people that were employed in the Leisure Industry in 1994 was 1,493,000 people.
Diverse trends within the leisure industry- employment in most leisure services has grown substantially in the last thirty or so years, employment in some services, particularly in cinemas and theatres has dropped. This fall is a sign of the growth in home-based leisure. While the recent increase in the reputation of home-based leisure has been a significant cause of the fall in employment in cinemas and theatres, it has also led to the creation of a whole range of new jobs such as in video-rental. Between 1960 and 1983 employment in cinemas and theatres fell by 18%.
Changes in the gender composition of the labour force- a number of services have seen an important increase in the percentage of female employees. This has been particularly noticeable in sport and recreation; pubs and clubs; and betting and gambling. The opposite has been the case in catering contracts where there have been a considerably greater number of males being employed over the last thirty years.
A high level of part-time and short-term employment- in the past this has reflected the seasonality of much of the leisure industry and its relative low-skill content. Nevertheless, trends within the industry worldwide are towards an enlargement of tourism and tourism- related leisure activities into off-peak periods and towards a higher level of skill condition across the industry as a whole. This reflects the increasingly more economical nature of the industry, both nationally and internationally, and the demands being made by customers for higher standards of service. At the same time as these two trends may not have much immediate impact on the industry's propensity for part-time and short- term employment, they are leading to a greater level of skill training and a more everlasting and specialized central labour force, which now sees the leisure industry as offering a career rather than just a job.
Participation Trends in the most popular Leisure and Recreation activities
The most popular leisure and recreation activity is watching television for both men and women. The other leisure activities fluctuate a lot both for the genders. Below is a table that shows the participation in male, in certain activities in different socio-economic groups.
Professional
Employers and managers
Intermediate and junior
Skilled manual
Unskilled
All aged 16+
Watching TV
99
99
99
99
99
99
Visiting/entertaining friends or relations
95
96
96
95
88
95
Listening to radio
93
92
93
87
83
89
Listening to music
83
80
85
74
67
78
Reading books
81
69
68
48
39
58
DIY
66
65
59
60
40
57
Gardening
62
63
50
52
42
52
Dressmaking/needlework/knitting
4
4
3
3
2
3
Source: citymutual.com- General Household Survey, Office for National Statistics; Continuous Household Survey, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
The table shows that most males in all socio-economic groups preferred to watch 7television as their main source of leisure entertainment. Reading books is a lot more popular in the professional socio-economic group than any other group. The Unskilled socio-economic group has the lowest figures out of all six of the socio-economic groups for all of the activities, except for the activity entitled watching television. The least popular leisure activity for males in all the socio-economic groups is the dressmaking, needlework and knitting area. The probable reason for this is because most males do not find this activity to be enjoyable.
Below is a table that shows the participation of females in different activities by certain socio-economic groups:
Professional
Employers and managers
Intermediate and junior non-manual
Skilled manual
Unskilled
All aged 16+
Watching TV
98
99
99
99
98
99
Visiting/entertaining friends or relations
00
98
97
97
96
97
Listening to radio
96
89
90
82
78
87
Listening to music
93
83
80
70
64
76
Reading books
91
80
77
61
54
71
DIY
41
36
32
27
22
29
Gardening
49
55
51
41
39
45
Dressmaking/needlework/knitting
30
36
39
36
36
36
Source: citymutual.com- General Household Survey, Office for National Statistics; Continuous Household Survey, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
From the table we can conclude that most women in general, in all the six socio-economic groups have the highest participation figures in the watching television activity. For the professional socio-economic group more women participate in visiting/entertaining friends or family than any other leisure activity. In comparison to males there are much fewer females participating in the DIY and Gardening sector in all the socio-economic groups. To make up for the lack of participation in the DIY and gardening sector there are a lot more females participating in the Dressmaking, needlework and knitting than males.
TASK THREE
Arts and Entertainment
This area of The Leisure and Recreation Industry looks at the leisure activities that are not home-based; they take place in a public place. There are three main aspects that are covered in the Arts and Entertainment sector:
> Cinema- in 1946 cinema ticket sales reached an all time high of 1,600 million. Within the next 38 years, in 1984, cinema ticket sales dropped to on 53 million. The main reason for this was due to the advancement of the television. Despite this drop since about 1850's there has been an increase in the ticket sales. In 2000 there was a combined box-office revenue of £667.4. Although multiplexes continue to dominate the cinema market, their rate of development has slowed since 1999, due to an infiltration of screens and increasing consolidation within the industry. Cinema operators have moved back to city-centre locations, focusing on renovations. Operators have also become more oriented towards marketing and towards introducing more branded operations to attract new customers. In 2001, the UK theatre industry received a £25m boost in core funding from the Government. This should ensure better-quality theatre, while encouraging new talent and innovation. The Arts Council also announced plans to unite with the ten regional Arts Boards, creating a single funding-and-development organization for all the arts throughout the country. Over the next 5 years, cinemas will offer a wider range of leisure activities, while the advent of digital cinema or `d-cinema' will transform the nature of cinema exhibition.
> Theatres and Concert Halls- this looks at all the facilities that are used to stage live concerts or performances, they are also used to stage events that do don't happen very often (e.g. a Millennium party). The voluntary sectors are well represented in this area, in the form of amateur musicians, and drama group productions. In spite of this most of the popular venues are located in the private sector e.g. the London Palladium. Private companies also own all these venues that are located in the private sector. Theatres are often greatly subsidized by the public sector. The Arts Council of England funds all companies such as The Royal Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Covent Garden. They also give assistance to local and regional organizations. Most of these theatres are located in the major cities. The highest focus for these theatres is in the West End of London. Despite this there are approximately 500 theatres outside London and most of these owned by public organizations.
> Museums and Art Galleries- a large amount of people visit museums and art galleries in the UK, there reasons may be either recreational or educational or even cultural reasons. Museums can be run by any of the four sectors, i.e. private, public or voluntary. The level of importance and contents range from National museums to local, more cultural museums. The more locally owned ones are run by volunteers and the national museums are publicly owned. The English Tourism Council has listed in the region of 950 museums in the UK. There are fourteen national museums, which are funded from the public sector. The three museums that were visited the most in 1998-1999 was the British Museum, which had 5.5 million visitors, then the National Gallery with 4.8 million visitors and finally the Tate Gallery that had 3.0 million visitors. The least visited museum was the Wallace Collection, which only had 200,000 visitors. London is probably the highest attractor of visitors, this is due to the vast number of galleries it has (47 public, each attracting 50,000 per year). London also has eight of the twelve popular national museums, in England. Outside London the most popular galleries in terms of the number of visitors is the Glasgow Art Gallery, with 1,000,000 and after this is the Royal Armories in Leeds, this attracts 400,000 visitors.
Sports and Physical Recreation
This area of the Leisure and Recreation Industry has a wide range of facilities of events. There are eight main categories that the sports and physical recreation area looks into. These are:
> Participating in Sports and Physical Recreation Activities- There are a lot of sports and physical recreation activities in the United Kingdom. There has been an increase in the interest in health related activities; this is seen by the number of people. This has increased participation in sports since the 1980's. Facilities for sports physical recreation include sports centers, ice rinks, squash courts and fitness centers. There are also a number of outdoor facilities such as golf courses, athletic tracks and a number of artificial playing surfaces. There are two main areas that are concerned with the participation of sports, these are:
. Age- generally the younger generation is very much more involved in sport participation due to their involvement in schools, whereas adults do not have that benefit and so struggle to fit both work and leisure in their daily lives. This means that the adults need to join clubs in order to participate in a leisure activity.
2. Gender- in a broad aspect males participate more than females. This can be seen by the numbers of professional sports men.
> Swimming Pools- Most of the recreational swimming are indoor pools, and are all practically provided by the public sector. There were 1,400 public swimming pools in the United Kingdom in 1998. There was an additional 3,550 pools in schools. The majority of these pools were traditional 25-metre pools. But recently there has been an increase in the number of pools with special features e.g. wave machines and rapids.
> Sports Centres- There has been a major development in Sports centres since 1960. In 1960 there was surprisingly only one sports centre that was built for a purpose; in 2000 there were 2,500 sports centres. This area is subjugated by the public sector. Sports centres vary a lot in terms of what they provide recreationally and also the size. This includes professional facilities such as squash courts and gyms. Sports centres provide a wide-range of activities, such as:
* Equipment Hire
* Lessons and Classes
* Food and Drink
> Health and Fitness Centres- The main reason for an increase in the number of Health and Fitness Centres is the increasing alertness' to the benefits of a healthier life style. The services that are provided for health and fitness are provided by the private sector. They provide weights rooms, machines that increase cardiovascular fitness (e.g. running machines and treadmills) and some even provide swimming pools and saunas. In the UK there are about 2,200 private health and fitness clubs, this is an estimated figure. About 20% of these 2,200 centres are managed privately. The number of private health clubs continues to grow, particularly those in the largest groups, such as Fitness First PLC, David Lloyd Leisure Ltd, Esporta PLC, Cannons Group Ltd and Holmes Place PLC.
> Local Sports Clubs and Associations-In the United Kingdom there are roughly 150,000 sports clubs that are voluntary. It is possible for a small community of people to form their own sports association. These are non-profit making organizations.
> Playing Pitches- For obvious reasons it would be on the verge of impossibility to give an estimated number of playing pitches in the UK. In England it is said that there are in the region of 7,000 pitches. There are also an additional 300 artificial grass pitches in England. The majority of these pitches are for football.
> Sports Spectating-The sports that are recognised on an international level, such as football and golf are the sports that are more heavily watched. Recently there have been developments that have benefited both the player and the spectator. Sports stadium are now days multi-purpose, e.g. Old Trafford (Manchester United Football Clubs Stadium) not only host football matches but also hosts rugby league games. Developments that have been made to the stadium, is to increase parking space and also to increase the capacity.
> Sports Retail- Due to an increased popularity in sports there has been an increase in the public demand for sporting goods. Sporting goods include specialised clothing and footwear and also equipment. In 1998 the Consumer Expenditure on sports equipment for manufacturers such as Adidas was £3,500 million. At the end of 1999 the number of outlets, in the UK, that sold sports goods was well over 400. All these retailers are part of the private sector and thus there priority is to make a profit.
Heritage
The Heritage area of the Leisure and Recreation Industry has three main parts to it, these three are:
> Heritage Sites and Attraction- This is an everlastingly recognized destination, with its primary target is to allow the public access to entertainment. This destination must open to the public without having to be book it. It should also be capable of attracting tourists, day visitors and also local inhabitants. Visitor attractions can be classified in two ways
. Those that charge an admission fee, e.g. Madame Tussauds, or those that allows free entry, e.g. Westminster Cathedral.
2. Natural Attractions, e.g. the Lake District or even built attractions, e.g. Royal Armories.
Visitor attractions are a Vitael component of the United Kingdom's leisure industry. Heritage attractions can be hundreds of years old, like Stonehenge or could be the latest technological advances, like some of the features at the National History Museum in London.
There are 8 different types of heritage attraction sites:
. Pageantry
2. Historic Buildings
3. Local Traditions
4. Historic Cites and Towns
5. Historic Landscapes
6. Industrial Heritage
7. Places of historic, literary and culture
8. Cultural Collections
This (Heritage) is one the key components of the United Kingdoms Leisure and Recreation Industry. An estimated average of 50 million people visits sites of heritage each year.
Below is table that shows the top 10 historic houses and monuments in 1999:
Historic Monument
No. of visitors
Tower of London
2,422,181
Windsor Castle
,280,000
Edinburgh Castle
,219,720
Roman Baths
918,867
Stonehenge
838,880
Warwick Castle
793,000
Hampton Court Palace
699,218
Leeds Castle
569,505
Shakespeare's birthplace
510,150
Chatsworth House
422,816
Source: English Tourist Board, Visits to Tourist Attractions, 1999
The Tower of London was the most visited historic monument, by over 1,000,000. Stonehenge had fewer than 1,000,000 visitors, which is surprising because Stonehenge is probably one of sciences biggest mysteries, therefore it would attract a vast number of people.
> Historic Buildings and Sites- There just under half a million historic buildings and site in the United Kingdom. These historic sites come from a number of categories that include:
* Stately homes, palaces and manors
* Castles and Forts
* Historic Ships
* Battlefields
* Monuments and Ruins
* Cathedrals, Abbeys and Churches.
Most of the historic sites are run and also owned by religious groups, such as Westminster Abbey. The National Trust and English Heritage, which are both local authorities, are involved in the preservations of historic buildings (which include maintenance). Some of the Historic sites are run by a government agency called Historic Royal Palaces. Some of the historic sites that they look after include, the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Whitehall. In the region of a third of the historic sites in the United Kingdom are owned by the private or voluntary sector
> Heritage Experience Attractions- This is a moderately new sector in the Heritage tourism area. An example of a Heritage Experience Attraction is the Jorvik Viking Centre. This sector uses a lot of different sorts of technology to give the visitors a once in a lifetime experience; they use interactive displays, and ride which have sound and sometimes-even smell. These sorts of attractions are expensive to build and maintain therefore they are owned by the private sector. To provide a fair deal of the money they charge admission fees. In Earth Gallery Experience at the Natural History Museum there is a ride that allows the visitors to descend into a volcano and see features of a volcano, this ride cost about £12 million. Historic sites and attractions that attract a large number of people usually have other services, e.g. retail and souvenir outlets, Cafes, Restaurants and Guide Services.
Catering
Catering is included in a lot of leisure and recreation facilities, these facilities include Sports centers, Social Clubs, Sports Stadia, Cinema, Theme Parks and Swimming Pools. Catering provides a lot of financial turnover for the United Kingdoms Leisure and Recreation Industry. In 1998 approximately 44,500 restaurants, cafes and takeaway food shops produced a collective turnover of £13.5 billion. The private sector dominates provision of catering facilities and this is not only locally but also nationally. The biggest restaurant in the UK, in terms of number of sites is Pizza Hut, which had273 sites in 1998.
> Catering Facilities- There is a vast number of catering facilities in the UK; due to the numbers of facilities there is a wide range of foods and beverages that are available. There are large quantities of businesses that provide catering facilities; these businesses can range from cafeterias to takeaway to pizza places. The takeaway sector and the restaurant sector have both increased in the UK; the reason for this growth may be due to an amplified reputation for cultural restaurants in the UK. Overleaf is a table that show percentage increase in certain restaurants:
RESTAURANT
INCOME (millions)
PERCENTAGE INCREASE (%)
Pub Meals
£5,100 (1997)
31
£3,900 (1993)
Indian Cuisine
£1,660 (1997)
3
£1,475 (1993)
Pizza/Pasta
£838 (1997)
27
£659 (1993)
Source: Collins Leisure and Recreation text book- Mail on Sunday
Countryside Recreation
Countryside Recreation covers a wide-range of leisure and recreation activities. This area in the Leisure and Recreation Industry can be separated into three categories; these are land-based (e.g. hiking), water-based (e.g. sailing) and air-based (e.g. gliding). The public sector, the private sector and the voluntary sector are all represented in the countryside recreation sector. The public sector is represented in the form of the Park Authorities and Local Authorities. The public sector also includes the Forestry Commission and the Countryside Agency. Accommodation, catering and all the attractions are covered by the private sector. The voluntary sector covers the recreation and conservation groups and the National Trust.
> Countryside Parks- This area provides a wide range of recreational experiences. There are 12 parks in the United Kingdom (which includes England, Wales, and Scotland). These parks have been classified as areas of great natural beauty; they should be preserved and enhanced, so that the public can enjoy he scenery. An Act of Parliament said this in 1949. The parks provide a wide range of opportunities for the public (e.g. picnics, drives and even walks). There are an estimated 10 million people that visit the national parks each year this is an estimated figure by the Countryside Commission. Apart from the national parks, there are other areas that are selected to provide a recreational activity or activities. These activities include:
* Country Parks e.g. Lake District
* National Trails and Walking Paths e.g. the Quantocks
* World Heritage Sites e.g. Stonehenge
* Heritage Coasts e.g. Cornwall
* Areas of outstanding Natural Beauty e.g. Lincolnshire Wolds
> Urban Parks, Gardens and Amenities- England pioneered the provision of urban parks in the 19th century. Public parks were regarded as essential to the recreation of people living in the swiftly growing towns and cities following the Industrial Revolution. From the beginning, urban parks have been seen as bringing economic, environmental, health and other social benefits to people and places. Today, every town and city has a park, or collection of parks. They are part of England's urban heritage. Public parks and open spaces account for around 10-20% of the developed land area. England's example has been followed throughout the world. Public parks are regarded, internationally, as an essential component of successful cities, demanding high standards of management. However, many public parks in Britain are perceived as being in decline and failing to make a proper contribution to the quality of urban living as we approach the 21stcentury.
> Outdoor Pursuits- There is a number of centers in the United Kingdom that specialise in Outdoor Recreation Holiday. These centers provide a wide range of services, which includes meals, accommodation and transports. They also provide services that are primarily for recreational purposes, e.g. sailing, canoeing and rock climbing.
Home-Based Leisure
This sector of the components of the Leisure and Recreation Industry covers a large number of activities, examples of home-based leisure includes videos, DVD's, Books, Music Player's and Toys.
> The Internet- The usage of the Internet is ever increasing, due to people using it practically any purpose, from shopping to business. Internet leisure users have three main areas in which they use the Internet for. These three areas are:
* Travel ticket and Holidays, e.g. www.lastmiunte.com
* Music, e.g. www.hmv.co.uk
* Books, e.g. www.amazon.com
In 1999 there was an estimated figure of 6.2 million people that had access to the Internet in their houses. Companies, such as Tesco's, also encouraged Internet usage, this is because they provided a free Internet service. The Internet in general is becoming an ever-increasing source for leisure; the main reason for this increasing interest in the Internet is due the wide-range of services it can provide. The Internet can be a source for gambling, e-mails, downloads, games and even shopping.
> In-home Interactive Media- In-home interactive media includes equipment like computers and all it software and hardware. One the earliest sources of in-home interactive entertainment where the computer consoles, such as the 'Super Nintendo?'. Nowadays entertainment is not only 'in-home' but it is also has a very large number sources outside the house. This was made possible due to the invention of the modem and other digital communication links. Therefore if an individual has a computer that has an Internet connection in the house then it is very possible for that person to order a lot of things via the Internet. The in-home interactive entertainment is a very popular sector and is ever growing due to the technology advancing. There are a vast number of people that have access to the Internet; this means that they have access to download a movie or game. As a vast number of people have access to this then that means that the Internet is a major issue for retailers. This issue about 'buying off the internet' also affects other retailers such as books and clothing.
TASK FOUR
Public Sector
The public sector has an exceptionally significant role in the provision of leisure and recreation facilities in the United Kingdom. Sometimes this responsibility is fairly broken up from that of the private sector. Very often the public and private sectors work closely together. Even though there is an increasing trend towards privatisation and the starting of compulsory competitive tendering (CCT), have made it progressively harder to distinguish between the public and private sectors. With the Public sector it extremely important to note the difference between the National Government and the Local Government. Firstly the National Government, it is in charge five main sectors, these five sectors are:
. Heritage and Tourism Group, e.g. Heritage
2. Broadcasting, Films and Sports Groups, e.g. Sport and Recreation
3. Arts and Lottery Group, e.g. The National lottery
4. Libraries, Galleries and Museums Group, e.g. Cultural Property Unit
5. Resources and Services Group, e.g. The British Tourist Authority
Each of these five groups is responsible for a number of areas. Some examples are given above.
The Local Government Local government in most parts of England and Wales consists of three stages:
* County councils
* District or Borough Council
* Parish or Community Council
All three levels have people elected as their representatives, they are known as councillors. The councillors' responsibility is to put into practice the verdicts of the central government at a local level, although in many cases they may use their optional powers to establish services and policies, which mirror the needs of the local people, of whom they represent. The real day-to-day work of carrying out the decisions of the councillors is embarked on by the local government officers, whose role is comparatively correspondent to that of the social servants in the utilization of central government. The role of Local government in the provision of leisure, tourism and recreation facilities are enormously significant. In most areas of the country there will be a wide variety of local leisure facilities, which are made available by local authorities.
There are seven main categories in the Public sector; these seven areas are all very important in the running of the Public sector. The seven areas are:
. Central Government- In the past the National Government was the primary provider of Leisure facilities to the United Kingdom. The main duty of the National Government was to construct the laws of the provision of the facilities; they also offer support for a large number of organizations, these organizations correspond to the Leisure and Recreation Industry. This Government has four main functions:
. Co-ordination- this area ensures that different activities that are carried out by other government organizations do not clash.
2. Marketing- this area simply promotes the benefits of the Leisure and Recreation Industry.
3. Financial Provision- this function provides the organization with funding.
4. Planning and Control- this sector looks at the provision of the Leisure and Recreation Industry. This is done so that the organizations comply with Government policies.
2. Department for Culture, Media and Sport- This Department looks and is responsible for the government policies on 8 areas in the Leisure and Recreation Industry. These 8 areas are:
. The Arts
2. Tourism
3. Sports and Recreation
4. Royal estates, parks and palaces
5. The National Lottery
6. The Built Heritage
7. Libraries, Museums and Galleries
8. Broadcasting and Film
3. Sports Council- In the United Kingdom there are 5 sports councils, each Country has its own sports council (i.e. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) and there is one sports council that overlooks the whole of the United Kingdom. The 5 sports councils are:
. The UK Sports Council
2. Sport England
3. The Sports Council for Wales
4. The Scottish Sports Council
5. The Sports Council for Northern Ireland
One of the roles of each sports council is to distribute the Lottery money. The UK Sports Council is different in terms of the standard of athletes it looks at. The UK Sports Council looks at elite sportsmen whereas the country sports council looks at the development of sports. In order to b able to develop sports from a low level the Sports Council will have to encourage participation in all sectors. They will also have to be able to provide guidance and information for a sport. The Councils will also have to support the development of young talented sports men. Within the United Kingdom there are a total of 13 National Sports Centers. Below are a few examples:
. Bisham Abbey- England
2. Crystal Palace- England
3. Lilleshall- England
4. National Watersports Center- England
5. National Mountain Center (Plas Y Brenin)- Wales
6. Glenmore Lodge- Scotland
7. Inverclyde in Largs- Scotland
8. Scottish National Watersports Center- Scotland
9. Tolleymore Mountain Center- Northern Ireland
4. Art Councils-The Art Council has 4 main priorities, which are:
. To allocate funds made available by central government and the National Lottery for the arts.
2. To advocate the causes of the arts to central and local government and the public generally.
3. To advise the public and private sectors on artistic matters.
4. To assist artists and arts-activists.
The Art Councils give financial aid and also advice to major performing arts organisation and local small theatres that tour. The financial aid that they provide are used primarily for promotion of education, they also use the money for public access and participation to the performing art.
5. English Heritage- This is a National body that was created by the Parliament in order to protect historic regions. It does not only protect the historic environment it also is in charge of promoting the understanding and enjoyment of the historic areas. The English Heritage is England's government's authorized consultant. It deals with all heritage conventions; this includes monuments, buildings, archeological remains and gardens. The English Heritage has three primary aims these are:
. Promote people's access to, and the enjoyment of the shard heritage.
2. Secure the conservation of England's historic sites, monuments, buildings and areas.
3. Raise the appreciation and awareness of the heritage and in turn increase the commitment to its protection.
6. Local Authorities- This sector provide the largest amount of leisure facilities and services. Most of the local authorities provide a wide range of facilities, which include Museums, galleries, leisure centers, swimming pools, community centers. They also usually provide a catering service at their facilities.
7. Funding- There are two sectors that fund the Public Sector, they are the Central Government and the Local Government:
* Central Government- The central government raises money through the tax policy. There are two major types of tax which are charged by the central government direct taxes and indirect taxes. Direst taxes are made up of income tax which is rated on the earnings of individuals; and business tax which is charged on the income of corporations. Indirect taxes consist of many different taxes, the most common of which are Value Added Tax, also known as VAT; Duty of such things as petrol, alcohol, tobacco, etc. A new source of taxation to the central government is from the profits of the National Lottery.
* Local Government- There are four main sources that the central government receives it funding from, these four sources are;
. Central Government- A section of the income the Central Government is given to the Local Government.
2. Council Tax- This is another variety of local taxation. It is charge d by local authorities on people living in their areas. This tax replaced what used to be known as the Rates. In the 1980's the Government abolished the rating system, which was in actual fact a tax on properties. This tax introduced what was known as the Community Charge. This transferred local taxation away from property and onto the people living in the properties. This is the reason why community charge was universally known as the 'Poll Tax'. The Council tax was abolished and replaced by the Council Tax
3. Uniform Business Rate (UBR) - The UBR is similar to the Council Tax except that it is levied on local businesses rather than local residents. All local businesses pay Uniform Business Rates to their local authority.
4. European Union (EU) Funds- Many local and regional authorities in the UK, as in other member states of the European Union, receive funds from the European Union.
Private Sector
The private sector is by far the largest in terms of its financial involvement and the number of facilities that it provides. The main distinction between the public and private sectors is that while the public sector's most important aim is to provide a service or amenity, for example local parks, sports facilities, libraries, , the private sector's principal aim is to compose and to make the most of profits. In the public sector many facilities do not run at a profit; their overall operating costs are often larger than the revenues they generate from sales with the result that they have to be finance the whole or partially by public sector funds. A private sector business can only persist to survive, unless it receives some sport of financial support, but it needs to make a profit. That means that the profits that it makes from the trading of its merchandise or services must be bigger than its general spending in commission the facility. This extra income over the costs may be used in different ways. Some of it may be removed out of the business and dispersed among the owners of the business as profit or it may be reinvested in the business in order to develop, inflate and reinforce it. Businesses can range from very little, single person operations, such as chauffeur to massive, multinational, billion dollar. Businesses in the Leisure industry belong to one of five classifications:
> Sole trader- This is a business that is owned individually. These sort of people usually have precise trade skills, credentials and knowledge e.g. in computers, electricians, plumbers, interior decorators health and fitness. They may work as guides and couriers (perhaps with language skills). As chauffeurs, public relations consultants, etc., or merely run their own retail business such as video hire shop, cafe, bar, etc. Sole traders are found in almost every walk of life, but are probably more numerous and wide-ranging in their types of business in the leisure and tourism industry than most other industrial sectors.
> Partnership- Partnership can consist of between two to twenty people being in same business together. Partnerships regularly consist of just two people, e.g. a husband and wife or two brothers or sisters. Many expert firms, such as solicitors or architects may be partnerships. The advantages of a partnership are similar to those of a sole trader with the additional benefit that there are more people available to put money into the business, to share the responsibilities and help make the decisions. Not all partners may be active in the running of the business. Some may be known as 'sleeping' partners who play little or no role in the management of the business. In the leisure and tourism industry partnerships are quite common. Small hotels, guest houses, restaurants, pubs, cafes, night clubs, health clubs are run as partnerships. There are disadvantages to running a business as a partnership. Such as:
* It does not have the protection of partial legal responsibility unlike a private limited company. This may not be seen as a disadvantage, because private limited companies are not liable for most of their debt they sometimes find it difficult to get credit, particularly if the business is small and has not been trading for a long time. A partnership, e.g. small hotel, may find it easier to get credit from its suppliers because the suppliers know that the partners are themselves fully liable for the debts of the business.
* Decisions may often be slow to be made and perhaps of a compromise nature if there are many partners involved.
* A partnership is legally bound by the decisions of any one partner. If one of the partners turns out to be reckless, untrustworthy or unreliable in other ways, the other partners and the whole business will have to pay the price.
> Private limited company- A business which is a private limited company must have the word 'limited' or the abbreviation 'Ltd' after its name. The word 'limited' is the essential feature that distinguishes between this type of business structure and sole traders and partnerships. 'Limited' means that the business or company is limited in its legal responsibility for its debts only up to the sum of money invested in the company by its investors or shareholders as they properly known. Having 'limited' status has certain advantages, but it is quite complicated to set up this sort of status. This is because the bank will not loan the company any money if they do not have any bank security. This will often require the investors in the company, its shareholders, to give personal security to the bank. Another advantage of operating as a limited company is that it may be able to benefit from various tax benefits. A limited company is founded by one or more investors, there being no limit on the number. These investors buy shares in the company and are known as 'shareholders'. The shareholders are therefore the legal owners of the company. They do not necessarily manage the company and may not necessarily be legally liable for the decisions it makes. These functions are undertaken by the Directors of the company. The directors are appointed by the shareholders. The director of the company, appointed by the shareholders, is responsible for the management of the company. The directors also have a number of important legal responsibilities. By law they are required to keep and file accounts on the company. They also have serious responsibilities in terms of conforming to the companies' limited liability status which does not protect them from wrong action.
> Public limited company- The shares of a public limited company are programmed on the Stock Exchange, here they can be bought by members of the public. Thus it is known as a Public limited company. Investors in public limited companies are protected in the same way as investors in private limited companies in that they benefit from limited liability. The main difference between a private and public limited company is the size of each company. Despite this not all private limited companies are small and all PLCs are big. You will find some very big private limited companies. In broad terms, however, PLCs are large organisations. Without a doubt, they must meet certain rigorous principles, before they can become public companies and be allowed onto the Stock Exchange. The public limited companies function and are managed in a very different technique from private limited companies. A key distinction is in the difference between owners and managers, the shareholders are the legal owners of a company. In private limited companies the shareholders and directors are frequently the same people, in which case the owners of the company are the same people who manage it. This is not the same with PLCs where there possibly could be man, many shareholders, whose work may change daily as the company's shares are bought and sold on the Stock Exchange. While the directors of a PLC will almost certainly have some shares in the company, they are usually appointed for their business and management skills and not just because they have some shares in the company. Public Limited Companies may often have a large quantity of supplementary companies. The focal company, usually the PLC, will be the head of a group which contains a number of supplementary companies.
> Co-operative- Co-operatives are not a very common form of business structure, they are very independent in the organisation. In limited companies the selection is normally on the basis of the number of shares held by an individual or organisation. This means that an individual who has got 25% of the shares also has 25% of the voting rights. In a co-operative each individual shareholder has one vote, no matter how many shares they may own. Their organisational make-up is usually simple with members voting for managers to run the enterprise on their behalf. Co-operatives are in an ideal area because they are suited to community type activities such as local theatre, art galleries, craft enterprises and music.
Voluntary Sector
The Voluntary Sector is a tremendously significant component of the Leisure and Recreation industry, despite the fact that it is much smaller than the public and private sectors when compared in terms of financial contribution, large number activities and amenities would not be able to work without its contribution. Big voluntary organisations, e.g. the National Trust, employs thousands of people, some on salaries and the rest on a voluntary basis, and handle vast sums of money on a yearly basis from admittances to their assets and sales of merchandise. Locally you will find many organisations supplementing the stipulation of leisure and recreation facilities. Many of these are small clubs and societies which have been set to run local community activities. These may involve such things as sporting activities, hobbies and pastime organisations, play schemes and youth organisations. These may exist simply at the local community level, the regional level, or they may be bodies which have grown into national organisations. Most voluntary organisations have a number of legal taxation responsibility and other policies. The fundamental instrument for people drawn together by common interests and aims is to form a board to manage the interests and affairs of their club or society. This board is elected by the members of the club. The board will normally appoint a number of office bearers, consisting of a least a chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer. The appointment of such office bearers is usually undertaken by election of the committee members in an agreement with the rules of the society which will lay down such things as how long a member may serve as an office-bearer, the minimum number of votes to be cast for the election to be valid.
> Funding-Most voluntary organisations fund themselves through the contributions of their members, usually in the form of a membership payment. Nevertheless, many voluntary organisations may receive both funds and professional advice from the public and private sectors. These funds may be in the form of grants from the local authority or from national bodies e.g. Government departments or agencies. This sector also can receive funding in the form of donations.
TASK FIVE
In the Leisure and Recreation Industry there is tremendously large number of employment opportunities, which can range from a Gardener to a Sales assistant. There are six main categories in the Industry that most of the employment falls within. I will list the six categories and then give a few examples and definitions of some of the employment available in that particular sector:
Arts and Entertainment
Performers and Presenters- This sort of employment in the Leisure and Recreation Industry is to do with performance. A performer can be in a wide range of activities from a stage production or play to an individual show. Performers will most of the time work with a presenter, the presenter is quite an important role in terms presentation of the show. A presenter could be introducing a show or presenting a world renowned completion such as the Mrs. World competition.
Concert Hall Manager- This kind of employment has a lot of aspects to consider when trying running a successful business. The manager of a concert hall has to make sure that all Health and Safety legislations are carried out in order for his/her hall to be rented out by the public, for special occasions. The manager also has to ensure that all the financing of the hall is carried out properly. Another key role of the manager is to ensure that if any aspect of the hall needs maintenance then it is carried out immediately.
Sports and Physical Recreation
Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy- This is probably one of the hardest employment areas in the Leisure and Recreation Industry. The reason for this is because it is very scientific and fact based. Therefore to be successful in this occupation you need to get the facts right. Physiotherapists work with a wide range of individuals from sports personnel to rehabilitation programs.
Professional Sportsperson- Professional sportspersons are very closely linked with physiotherapists and other people involved in sports medicine. To be able to be a sportsman by profession then you would need a high degree of commitment and also a lot of ability. Depending on the sport you would also need a certain degree of financial backing.
Catering
Restaurant Manager- A Restaurant Manager needs to make sure that all the health and safety legislations, in particular the Food Safety Act should be carried out properly and accurately. The manager should also be well aware of their customers and their comfort. He/she should also make sure that the financing that the restaurant receives is used properly and fairly.
Head Chef- The head chef is in charge of the other chefs and should guarantee that all the food that is cooked in the restaurant is cooked properly and safely. The head chef should also cook the food to try and meet the needs of the customers. This means that he/she would alter the meal if the customer has a specific condition.
Heritage Attractions
PR Manager- This is a person who is employed to organise publicity. They can do this in the form of either marketing or advertising. Their main purpose is to increase the public relations of the company that they are working for. The public relations manager is in charge of organising events and invites other important (to the company) people and therefore increase the public relations.
Guide- This is a much simpler occupation in terms of organisation. A guide just needs t know their facts and also should be very comfortable with large groups of people, the guide should also be in charge. A guide needs to be in charge of every situation and should also be very well trained in terms of knowledge and physic.
Countryside Recreation
Grounds person- This a time consuming occupation and takes a lot of physical endurance. The grounds men needs to make sure that the ground at all areas of the recreation facility is in prime condition. In areas of child recreation the ground should be safe (i.e. soft). The grounds men also needs to have a good knowledge of the earth and different types of soil
Education Officer- An education officer has to ensure that all the customers that visit the site will get a lot of good and useful information about the site. This will be achieved by training staff. The education officer should also over look the information that is written around the recreational facility.
Home-Based Leisure
Sales Assistant- A sales assistant primary aim is to help his/her employer with the sales of goods. A sales assistant can be found in any sort of store from an electronics store to a convenience store.
Shop Manager- This sort of manager overlooks that the shop that he/she is in charge of or managing is done properly. This means that the customers are all treated properly and fairly. They also have to ensure that the stock in the shop is good. They also play a key role in the management of finance.
TASK SIX
The job in the Leisure and Recreation Industry that best matches my aspirations, skills and abilities is Physiotherapy. Physiotherapy is a health care profession concerned with human function and movement and maximizing potential:
* It uses physical approaches to promote, maintain and restore physical, psychological and social well-being, taking account of variations in health status
* It is science-based, committed to extending, applying, evaluating and reviewing the evidence that underpins and informs its practice and delivery
* The exercise of clinical judgment and informed interpretation is at its core.
Physiotherapists work in a great variety of settings such as orthopaedics, intensive care, paediatrics, mental illness, stroke recovery, occupational health, ergonomics and musculoskeletal treatment in hospitals. Physiotherapy may be a very demanding occupation in terms of being medically fit. Most Physiotherapists work as part of a group, which may include doctors, nurses and social workers. Physiotherapy demands the ability to study and to apply a good scientific and professional knowledge to solving problems. There are a variety of qualifications that may be accepted. Work experience is a very important aspect in the training to become a physiotherapist. The sort of work experience that should be carried out should be in some sort of health care, for example in a local hospitals physiotherapists department or even in a private clinic.
The reason I think that physiotherapy best matches my aspirations is because this area in the medical world fascinates me a lot. I am very interested in the movement and function of the human body, in terms of anatomy and physiology. I also want to get involved in Physiotherapy because I enjoy working in a team. I also like to work in an environment that helps to give something back to the community. I would also like to work in a hospital, the reason for this is that I would like to work in area were team work is required in order for an individual to succeed.
I think that Physiotherapy is the best suited occupation for me because I have got skills that are extremely essential in order to become a successful Physiotherapist. The skills that I have that will benefit me, in my search to become a Physiotherapy are that I have done Physical Education and Biology for my A-Level course. The reason I think that these two subjects will help me to become a Physiotherapist is that they will give me a deeper knowledge of the way in which the body works.
The abilities that I have got over the past 5 years that will help me become a Physiotherapist is that I have been captain of a number of sports teams, this shows that I have leadership skills. I also think that I am good in communicating with other people. Communication is an essential aspect in Physiotherapy, because I will have to be able to effectively correspond with the patients. I am also quite persuasive which is also fairly important in Physiotherapy. This is to make the patients understand the problem with them and help them get better as soon as possible.
TASK SEVEN
I have produced curriculum vitae (CV) that is appropriate for employment in physiotherapy or Sports Medicine. This Curriculum Vita is shown below:
Name: Rikin Patel
Address: 223 Victoria Road, Ruislip Manor, Middlesex, London HA4 9BS
Date of Birth: 17th September 1985
School, Colleges, Universities
From
To
Qualifications Obtained
Elmhurst School, England
990
995
St. Andrews Preparatory School, Kenya
995
998
Common Entrance- Pass
St. Andrews Senior School, Kenya
999
2002
GCSE's-
Art- A
Biology- A
Design Technology- A
English Language- A
Chemistry- B
English Literature- B
Geography- B
Mathematics- B
Physics-B
Taunton School, England
2002
2004
AS-level-
Leisure and Recreation Biology
Physical Education
Employment Experience
I have carried out work experience in a wide range of areas, this include business management, hospital, dentistry and also with a physiotherapist. I completed the work experience in business management in a local store, the store sold goods in the hardware sector (e.g. metal, woods, etc). I worked for a week, which included work on the Saturday. I did the hospital work experience in a hospital in an area of Nairobi, Kenya. I worked with a doctor, who showed me and taught me the basis of working in a hospital. Both the physiotherapist and Dentistry work experience were carried out in a private clinic. The two doctors were specialists in their individual area. They both showed me the basic structure of working in the clinic. Working in these different areas I now have a confident idea about the length of the working days in the occupations.
Interests
I am interested in a wide range of sports, which include football, rugby, hockey, cricket, and Tennis. I also have a keen interest in the world of Formula One. I have represented my school in a number of sports teams, which include football, rugby, hockey, cross-country and athletics. I was also selected in the Somerset County Hockey Squad. Apart from sports I like listening to music, in particular Hip Hop and R&B. I played the piano for a single year and achieved a pass in my Preparatory Test. I am also very interested in travelling the world; I am keen on seeing the world. The reason for this is because new places in the world fascinate me a lot, this is because I like to learn new things about the world.
Other Qualifications/Awards
Assistant Patrol Leader (APL) in Scouts, Sportsmen of the year in St. Andrews Senior School, Prefect in St. Andrews Senior School, Captain of Hockey, Football and Cross Country Team
Referees
Mr D Baty Mr J Whiteley
Housemaster Headmaster
Wills West House Taunton School
College Road Staplegrove Road
Taunton Taunton
TA2 6LX TA2 6AD
Bibliography
www.citymutual.com
www.keynote.co.uk
www.dictionary.co.uk
www.careers-scotland.org.uk
www.jobs1.co.uk
www.thephysiotherapysite.co.uk
Advanced Vocational, Leisure and Recreation- Tony Outhart, Lindsey Taylor, Ray Barker, Neil Procter
- 1-
