Sajeimpact Director joined several sports panels at Labour Party Conference - joining Loughborough University, StreetGames, the Sport for Development Coaltion and the Labour Society for Sports.
The Labour Society event - Reed said on Linkedin :
LABOUR SOCIETY FOR SPORT BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE: THE REGIONAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF MAJOR SPORTS EVENTS
One of the most useful sessions this week in Liverpool was the roundtable organised by the Labour Society for Sport and Stuart Brady
Given economic growth is top on the governments agenda - and reiterated in the Prime Ministers Speech - it is worthwhile honing our messages as a sector of our economic contribution - and more important our potential for growth
Whilst much of the focus was on major events and competitions I hoped to bring the wider long term benefits to the health and productivity of the workforce to the fore.
Pre-election I was having some fruitful discussions with many across the sector about this missed opportunity. We don't get across our economic impact often or consistently enough.
Importantly too, it was good have David Skaith present as much of the devolution agenda falls on sports to learn to do business differently. It was good to hear from Chris Anderson about the experience in Manchester when collaboration and long term thinking go hand in hand.
A big thanks to Charlie Boss and the The Jockey Club for supporting the event. It allowed great testimony from host cites and sports and some challenging ideas with Jack Baker Max Chambers Sanjay Bhandari MBE Bella Sankey Dan Jones Morgan Cauvin Paul Angrave Eva Murray and Rachel Taylor MP
Hardest part - following Jamie Jones-Buchanan MBE after an inspired contribution that took us from Pompeii to the Rubik's cube!
and at the Sport for Devlopment Coaltion event which Reed chaired he said
It has been a busy few days at the Labour Party Conference talking and 'chairing' on behalf of the Sport for Development Coalition and the impact of sport on public policies right across the government agenda, from health and employment to tackling crime.
One of my favourite sessions is always working with StreetGames UK and their team Mark Balcar Mark Lawrie OBE Hannah Crane Stuart Felce John Downes. As usual they created a really insightful panel for me to chair with two of their impressive young ambassadors Ikram and Mubarakat alongside Kate Green -Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Dan Price and Jane Ashworth OBE leader of Stoke City Council
Why I love this panel? This is not just about the theory of policy. It is about policy makers and elected officials already making the intentional use of sport to deliver change for their communities. They know it works and know how to scale.
Plenty of good questions from the audience and plenty of insight in the discussions about how to make things work. No surprises, it is about going beyond collaboration to a systems approach but all too often requires a community entrepreneurial spirit to get things done almost in spite of the system- much more seeking forgiveness than asking permission. Thanks Steve Chalke for supporting too.
Our job. To embed sport for development programmes in all communities and geographical areas through Sport, Local authorities, the MCA and Police and Crime Commissioners - who all have the evidence that it works!