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Minister backs shooting as a “sport that can be for everybody”
MINISTER for
Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe MP was guest of honour last week at a
shooting demonstration hosted by the British Shooting Sports Council
(BSSC) at the National Shooting Centre, Bisley, Surrey to launch
National Shooting Week 2008.
National Shooting Week, which will started on Saturday 3 May 2008
and will run until to Sunday 11
May 2008. It aims to make people of all ages across the UK aware of the
importance of target shooting as a sport and to provide
opportunities to try it out for themselves. Shooting bills itself as
one of the most inclusive Olympic and Paralympic sports, where
gender, age and disability are no barriers to success.
According to Gerry
Sutcliffe MP, Minister for Sport:- “National Shooting Week is
an opportunity for the sport to show itself to the wider community
in the UK about how good it is for everybody to take part.
With the
UK teams doing so well winning medals in so many competitions right
across the world shooting is high on our list of sports we want to
support. So National Shooting Week gives an opportunity for all the
misconceptions about shooting to be put to one side but it also
gives people an opportunity to understand that this is a sport that
can be for everybody."
Over the course of National Shooting Week some 200 open days will
take place at shooting clubs and grounds in England, Wales, Scotland
and Northern Ireland, giving newcomers to the sport the chance to
try shooting for the first time in a safe and friendly environment.
Media coverage of the growth in gun crime and illegal guns has
sometimes overshadowed the fact that shooting is an Olympic sport at
which the UK excels, at the 2006 Commonwealth Games shooting
accounted for 23 of the UK’s 116 medals and a crack team will travel
to Beijing this summer.
With London 2012
ahead, the government backed initiative aims to discover and recruit
new talent, as organiser Rob Gray explains:- “We’re hoping
that 1 or 2 future Olympic stars will take their first ever shots
during National Shooting Week”.
Beginners who fancy taking their 1st shot can find out where their
nearest shooting event is by entering their post code at
www.nationalshootingweek.co.uk. |
Call-up for men to keep their 'Eye on the Ball' for charity
THE course is
set, the footballers are warming up and now it's time for men to
register for their place in the Keep Your Eye on the Ball 5K run
taking place on 1 June 2008, in London's Victoria Park.
The event organised by Everyman Male Cancer Campaign, with The FA
and The PFA, is being supported by professional footballers
including Millwall striker Neil Harris, Derby County's Alan Stubbs,
Notts County's Adam Tann and Hull City's Matt Duke.
Everyman patron and testicular cancer survivor Neil Harris is hoping
to better his performance in this year's run, adding:-
"Testicular cancer is obviously an issue close to my heart so I will
always do my bit to help raise awareness and funds for valuable
research into the disease. And this year, I'm determined to finish
higher up the ranking than my 5th place last year.
The lads have
already started talking about who will win and I'm pretty confident
it'll be me this year!"
Soccer AM hosts Helen Chamberlain and Andy Goldstein are also behind
the event, urging men to get involved in a day that promises to be
balls of fun.
"This all-male event gives lads a chance to get together and
do something fun, while at the same time supporting a great cause.
We all know men like to compete and this run provides a chance to
pit man against man and club against club in an FA Cup-style
battle," says Helen.
The fastest individuals and top fundraisers will each be honoured
for their achievements and the winning club will be the one that
finishes with the best average running time.
As well as professional players and The FA taking part in the event,
Premiership giants are also keen to get their supporters involved.
Arsenal and England physiotherapist Gary Lewin said:- "The run
is a great chance for fans to show their support for a team, get
active and help raise awareness for male cancer.
It's an event and a
cause that all clubs should be involved with and we urge, not just
Arsenal fans, but football fans nationwide to put their running
shoes on and take part".
All money raised will go towards funding research into prostate and
testicular cancer which affects more almost 37,000 men in the UK
every year.
Participants can register for the event on the Everyman website
www.everyman-campaign.org or by phoning 0800 731
9468. |
