education & business 11


Sporting Solent’s support for city half- marathon and 10k race


Sunday, April 24, will see thousands of runners line up for the start of the ABP Southampton half-marathon and 10k race, and playing a leading role in the big event is Southampton Solent University


Solent has teamed up with race organisers Rees Leisure to provide a raft of facilities and support, including hosting the race HQ; while at the same time, students have been able to show off their abilities in areas such as event management and crowd entertainment.


Professor Mike Wilkinson, deputy vice- chancellor (external engagement), said: “As official education partners, this is a great opportunity for the university to engage with the local community and, with the half marathon coming through the heart of Southampton, it’s the perfect time to promote the city itself.


“We are a creative, student-focused university, so the opportunity for our students to gain real-world work experience in areas such as event management, sound engineering and music production and performance at an event like this is fantastic.”


The university’s conference centre near Guildhall Square, part of the city’s fast- developing new Cultural Quarter, will be at the centre of the action as race headquarters, and mark the start and finish lines.


Students from a range of courses have been closely involved in planning activity, including two event management students


who, since January, have been on work placement with Rees Leisure.


Chris Rees, managing director, is full of praise for their efforts: “They are absolutely fantastic. They have been very hands-on throughout the whole process, attending meetings with other partners on issues such as traffic management, setting up signage and waste management planning.


“They’ve also been working on the event website, handling calls and queries from runners, attending PR meetings and dealing with the media and, on the day, they’ll be in charge of the London Road part of the route, managing areas such as marshalling, flags and the live music.


“They have been very proactive and integrated very well, we certainly haven’t treated them like students, they are very much part of the team.”


The work placement, which began in January, will continue until the end of May, with the students also supporting the company on various other sports events.


Elsewhere, students from Solent’s music production and performance courses will be out and about performing their own material


to spectators and gaining valuable feedback for their courses; while broadcast and sound engineering students will be working hard to ensure the event reaches out to as many people as possible.


Solent is renowned for excellence in sport, offering a wide variety of services and facilities for both amateur and elite athletes, and the half-marathon gives the university a chance to demonstrate how it can help sports fans of all ages and abilities.


Its sports development team works with around 160 sports clubs across the city, helping them to develop their activities and reach out to as many people as possible. In addition, the university is part of Active Southampton, a group of organisations working together to promote and co- ordinate sport and physical activities across the city.


“As a university, we are very involved in helping to promote sport and encouraging people to be more active, and the community aspect is very important,” continued Professor Wilkinson.


“Furthermore, through our School of Sport, Health and Social Sciences, we are involved in research in areas such as the role of good nutrition, fitness programmes and education in schools.


“Our students manage various physical activity programmes, going into schools to provide coaching, after-school activities and organising competitions, all of which gives them really good first-hand practical experience.


“As an inclusive university dedicated to promoting the economic and social prosperity of the communities we serve, we are associated with a charity called Sport Solent in the Community.


“It provides funding for community sport and health clubs at real grass-roots level, such as disabled rugby and under-fives’ organised play. The charity gave out three funding awards last year and we hope to be able to help more clubs in 2016.”


Now in its second year, organisers hope the half-marathon and 10k races will attract some 10,000 runners to the city and raise plenty of money for local charities. A family fun run also takes place on Saturday, April 23.


For more information, see details below.


Details: www.abpsouthamptonhalf.co.uk www.solent.ac.uk


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH COAST – APRIL 2016


www.businessmag.co.uk


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