Mansfield MP Ben Bradley highlights importance of sport in communities during debate in the House of Commons

During this debate, Coun Bradley highlighted research demonstrating the importance of sport and physical activity for children in particular, with research suggesting a positive correlation between levels of physical activity and academic achievement.

Furthermore, Coun Bradley highlighted the role sport plays in children’s social development and how this prepares children for later life.

He said: “Sport, particularly team games, encourages the social development of young people, and indeed teamwork is becoming more and more important in the workplace.”

Coun Bradley highlighted the fact not only is exercise important for academic achievement, but research from the Football Association has shown grassroots football contributes more than £10 billion to society every year, including delivering health savings of £1.6bn through disease reduction.

Research has also shown the role grassroot sport plays in the mental wellbeing of communities, with research showing 200,000 cases of physical and mental disorders, including chronic disease, depression and anxiety being prevented just through grassroots football alone.

The overriding theme of Coun Bradley’s speech focussed on his campaign to ensure access to high-quality sports facilities and the importance these play in the community.

A key part of this focus on access to sport facilities is the opening up of school sports facilities.

The Sport England database shows 45 per cent of sports facilities in state-funded schools have public access.

Coun Bradley described this as a “huge missed opportunity when it comes to grassroots sport”.

He said: “If we want to almost double the number of community sports facilities available nationally, the simplest way is surely not to build new ones, but to ensure the ones that already exist are open and available for use.”

He also raised the issue of North Notts Hockey Club and the fact the club has been homeless for 18 months as an example of how schools closing off their sports facilities harms the community at large.

Coun Bradley said: “As a self-confessed sports fanatic, I know all about how vital physical activity is in our schools and the benefits it has for students in academic achievement and social development.

“While the importance of sport is not in doubt, too often governments of all colours have neglected the issue of access to high-quality sports facilities, with many having closed their doors to the respective clubs.

“One example in Mansfield is North Notts Hockey Club, who are currently homeless after the pitch they were using was closed to public access.’

‘I have campaigned for a long time for the reopening of school sports facilities with 45 per cent of facilities at state-funded schools having no public access.

“If these facilities were opened up for use by the community at large, we could see an explosion in levels of physical activity across the country and meet government’s goal of doubling the number of community sports facilities.

“We have many such facilities in and around Mansfield and Warsop which, if opened, would greatly support local clubs such as North Notts Hockey Club.’

“I will continue to raise this issue and push government to ensure that our communities in Nottinghamshire and Mansfield and Warsop are able to access the high-quality sports facilities we all want to see.”