News from Laois Sports Partnership
Online Activator Programme over Zoom
Online Activator poles – Using poles to improve mobility and muscle strength. Poles will be provided for the 6 weeks of the programme. This will be run every Tuesday at 11.30 until Christmas. The poles may be suitable for post/hip knee surgery Multiple Sclerosis Parkinson’s Disease Osteoarthritis Fall Prevention. Contact Catriona on 086 7935234 or slattery@laoissports.ie
Easy Peasy Exercises over Zoom
Sit-fit exercises and some singing, every Thursday at 11am. To take part please contact Catriona on 086 7935234 or cslattery@laoissports.ie
Autism in Sport Workshop (online)
This workshop will provide attendees with an understanding of Autism focussing on the delivery of sport. It will help participants to recognise and understand key areas of difference as well as looking at practical strategies which will help to include people with autism in sport sessions.
To book a place click here or please call me on 086 7935234.
Upcoming Safeguarding Courses
The following upcoming Safeguarding Online Training Courses will take place in December:
- Safeguarding 1 on Tuesday the 8th of December from 6.30 – 9.30pm
- Safeguarding 2 on Wednesday the 16th of December from 6.30 – 9.30pm
Certified by Sport Ireland, both courses will be delivered via Zoom. Course fee for each is €18 per person and pre-booking is required. For more information and booking links, see “Upcoming Events” on the Laois Sports Partnership facebook page.
Fitness Instructors/Coaches Wanted
Laois Sports Partnership is seeking qualified tutors for occasional coaching assistance to deliver our activity programmes to schools and community groups in county Laois. (A sample Programme may comprise 2 – 3 hours per week over a 4 – 6 week period, fixed hourly rates apply.)
We are looking for instructors in a range of sports, including: Athletics, Yoga, Pilates, Fit-Walking, Dance, Kickboxing, Aerobics, Fitness & Basketball.
If you are a club coach/instructor and are available during the day we would love to hear from you. Experience of working with Disability Groups is desirable.
Instructors will need to be self-employed and suitably qualified, insured with their own transport and have up to date Garda Vetting and Child Safeguarding Certification. Instructors will also need to complete Sport Ireland Covid Compliance online training.
For more information contact us on 057 8671248, or email info@laoissports.ie
Rathdowney/Errill Activity Hub Wellness Programme St Fergals College
We were delighted to have completed a 3 week ‘Wellness Wednesday’ programme with first year students in St Fergals College in Rathdowney. Over the 3 weeks we had Self Defence and Body Conditioning with our tutor Tommy Delaney and a Leinster Rugby coaching session with Joe Carbury & Bryan Croke. Many thanks to St Fergals College and in particular teacher Clodagh Kennedy for assisting the hub on this great programme for the first-year students on their ‘Wellness Wednesdays’. We are looking forward to getting back out in the New Year to work with the students again.
21 Day Christmas Walking/Running & Exercise Challenge
SVT Activity & Wellness Hub and Rathdowney/Errill Activity Hub launched a 21 day Christmas exercise challenge. You can choose from 21 days of walking, running and exercise or do all 3. All 3 challenges have been set out and exercises videos posted everyday for 21 days on our Facebook pages. Its not to late to join in and keep moving before Christmas. You also have a great chance to win one of our LSP goodie bags. For more information or registration contact Donna on 0867962177 or email sports@laoissports.ie
Orienteering in County Laois:
According to the developer MapRunF has created a new format of running for fun and fitness. It is an app that has developed a form of orienteering that uses smartphones for punching and timing, avoiding the need for flags or waiting for a specific event to be held. The app provides the map, the course, the timing, and beeps to let you know you have reached the control points. The results can be uploaded at the end of the course for the participants to compare their run to those of their friends. These permanent courses provide both experienced and novice orienteers with an opportunity to enjoy outdoor exercise in a place and at a time that is convenient for them.
In the era of COVID-19 this is an excellent way to be able to participate in an event while maintaining social distancing. It is so important to be able to get outside and explore – these outdoor activities are so important for mental health.
‘I think it is a great way to explore the parks, urban areas and forests near home with a little extra sense of adventure. Even though there are no flags out to see you are at the right place, the phone beeps when you get there and you know you are on the right track. My own children love running on courses near our house and still get excited every time they hear the beep!’– Colleen Robinson, Junior Rep for IOA.
Teachers at Emo national school received training in MaprunF for their students to try out the new routes available in Emo Court.
4 secondary schools took part in Ready to Go training run by (IOA) Irish Orienteering Association and have received equipment and resources to aid the delivery of orienteering in the school and local park settings.
Mid Ireland Adventures
Students from Youth Reach have taken part in a Fundamental Cycle Right course run by Mid Ireland Adventures, this programme forms part of the Garda Youth diversion projects in Portarlington in partnership with Foroige.
Bubbles and Pods
Laois Sports Partnership are delighted to be launching the new and exciting Bubbles and Pods programme for primary schools in Laois. All schools will be contacted and offered two free bags of sports equipment, resources, and online videos to encourage the participation of all children in physical activity. The sports equipment will facilitate teachers to offer a range of activities including athletics, ultimate frisbee, basketball and much more.
Time for Older Adults’ pilot project will build on (from a clinical exercise physiology perspective) the existing skillset of fitness professionals in Laois so that they have the skills and knowledge to (i) implement and evaluate an evidence-based strength and conditioning intervention for older adults and (ii) teach older adults the skills and knowledge they need to empower them to increase their functional strength and fitness for activities of daily living and manage and improve clinical conditions they may have including arthritis, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
The overall goal of this project is to create more opportunities for older adults in Laois to be physically active under the supervision of skilled professionals that are equipped to deliver group physical activity sessions for this population, particularly in relation to the clinical conditions that often exist in this group.
Sports Capital Programme and Clann Credo – Financing Sporting Ambition!
Federation of Irish Sport partner Clann Credo have provided the following information in relation to yesterday’s Sports Capital and Equipment Programme announcement by Minister Martin and Minister Chambers.
Clann Credo can help local clubs and communities to maximise Sports Capital funding by providing match funding loans as part of their applications.
Clann Credo is excited to see a new round of funding under the Sports Capital Programme announced on Monday. These grants fuel the growth of local sports clubs that play such a vital role in our communities.
Local sports clubs are enormous contributors to local identity, and they create a community of endeavour, pride and support. Never was this as true as in 2020, the year of Covid-19. At the onset of lockdown in March, the whole country saw how local clubs turned their skills, resources and energy into supporting people who had to cocoon. The return to sport during the summer months and the resumption of televised competitions was a highlight for many and brought a renewed appreciation of the central role of sport in our lives.
But even before Covid-19 turned our lives upside down, Clann Credo understood that local sports clubs provide essential engagement with disadvantaged young people on the margins of our communities as well as giving older people meaningful ways to contribute. In fact, it is hard to overstate the positive social impacts that sports clubs bring to local areas. This is why Clann Credo believes in sport and the people behind the thousands of local clubs and facilities nationwide.
€10 Million Community Sports Loan Fund
Clann Credo has a dedicated €10 Million Community Sports Loan Fund available to help sports clubs maximise their Sports Capital grants and has years of experience in assisting clubs to develop their facilities.
Clann Credo Match Funding Loans
The Sports Capital application requires clubs to show evidence of own funds. While having cash on deposit is best, a loan offer from Clann Credo is also acceptable as evidence of own funding and can boost your scoring in the application. The approval will be provided in the format required by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
Clann Credo Bridging Loans
Sports Capital grants are paid following submission of receipts for works completed and paid for. This can be a barrier to accessing the grant if the club doesn’t have funds on hand to pay for works or equipment upfront. Clann Credo can provide clubs with a Bridging Loan to pay for works done on their project, allowing them to draw down their grant. The Clann Credo loan is repaid when the club receives its Sports Capital grant.
Information evening – Community Sports Loans for Sports Capital – 13th January 2021
Clann Credo is hosting an information evening for all sports and community groups who may require evidence of loan finance to support their application under the 2021 Sports Capital Programme.
This will involve:
- Practical advice on how to use loan finance effectively to maximise your grant
- Top tips on applying for a Clann Credo Community Sports Loan
- An introduction to your local Clann Credo representative
- Advice from clubs who have combined grants and loans to develop their facilities in the past
The information evening will take place online on 13th January 2021 from 7:30 – 9:00 pm
You can register for this event by visiting here.
Places are limited, so please register early to avoid disappointment!
There isn’t much time! Please Contact Clann Credo Now.
The deadline in February may seem like a lot of time to get applications together, but successful applications take time!
There is huge demand from clubs and community groups nationwide for these loan facilities. In order to allow Clann Credo time to process new finance requests, the closing date is 29th January 2021. If a club is interested in working with Clann Credo to get their application ready, they need to contact them as soon as possible! The regional Clann Credo representatives can be found here. Alternatively, email info@clanncredo.ie or phone 01 400 2100 for further information.