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Volunteers help turn-up the HEAT in Hartlepool
Ten committed Basketball players have signed up with the Tony Blair Sports Foundation and Hartlepool HEAT to help develop basketball in the town. On Friday 19th February at Manor College of Technology, the volunteers will all start a Level 1 Course in Basketball Coaching provided by the Tony Blair Sports Foundation, and they will use their newly gained qualifications to volunteer with Hartlepool HEAT to facilitate more Basketball sessions in the community for children across Hartlepool.
The Foundation, which works across six sports, pays for individuals to gain coaching qualifications provided that they agree to use their new skills to help more young people get involved in sporting activities. Once qualified, the volunteers are placed with sports clubs or community organisations and on this occasion the Tony Blair Sports Foundation have teamed up with Hartlepool HEAT Basketball Club to help more children play basketball.
Anthony Robinson, Head Coach at Hartlepool HEAT said:
“We are really grateful of the support that the Tony Blair Sports Foundation has given to Hartlepool HEAT. They are helping us develop our volunteers, providing them with the skills that they need to make a difference to the lives of children in our town by helping us to put on more Basketball activities. This will allow us to do more work with schools, the local authority and the community at large to put on more sessions. It should really help with developing our Central Venue League tournaments, increasing participation from the kids locally. We have a great partnership with the Tony Blair Sports Foundation and we will work together to do more for the children of the town.”
Joe Keenan, Community Engagement Manager, Tony Blair Sports Foundation said:
“Our aim is to recruit volunteers who want to get more involved with sport and give something back to children in the community. Developing a volunteering culture is at the core of everything we are trying to do. It’s great when we find worthwhile clubs and organisations in the community like Hartlepool HEAT to work with. We hope they will really benefit from the work that we do. The volunteers should be supported and applauded for taking their new qualifications and we wish them well.”
The Tony Blair Sports Foundation and Hartlepool HEAT were originally introduced to each other by Hartlepool Sporting Association, of which Hartlepool Heat is a member.
Shaun Hope, HSA Development Officer said:
“It seemed a natural thing to put the Tony Blair Sports Foundation and Hartlepool HEAT in touch with each other. Both have a commitment to developing community sport through volunteering and we are really pleased it seems to be working out. We aim to promote sporting activity and Basketball in Hartlepool and there is no better way than finding ways for more sessions to take place for young people. We really hope this does that.”
For further information please contact Joe Keenan 07989 103555
The Tony Blair Sports Foundation is a sports based education charity that works across the North East. It is dedicated to investing in local people through six sports: rowing, tennis, football, athletics, basketball and cycling. It seeks to sustain and strengthen a volunteer culture by developing a new generation of coaches and engage, educate, and empower children and young people. The Foundation pays 50% of the cost of a Level 1 officials / coaching qualification across the six sports.