Community Sports and Physical Activity Network (CSPAN)

What is the Community Sports and Physical Activity Network (CSPAN)?

The Community Sports and Physical Activity Network was established in January 2007 to bring together all agencies involved in providing opportunities for sport and physical activity in the district in order to make South Somerset the most successful sport and active district in the South West.

Working together to consolidate existing sport and physical activity provision will help create opportunities for people in South Somerset to enjoy a physically active life.

How will the CSPAN encourage sport in South Somerset?

The CSPAN aims to increase participation in sport and physical activity by 1 per cent year on year by:

• Pooling resources to maximise outcomes.
• Engaging voluntary, private and public sector bodies through one network.
• Developing a single action plan for community sport and physical activity.
• Reflecting the needs of people in South Somerset.

Why provide sports opportunities in South Somerset?

There are many reasons why we encourage our residents to choose a healthy and active lifestyle, many of which can be found in Shaping South Somerset: A Strategy For Sustainable Communities (2008-2026).

Some of the key reasons as to why we encourage our residents to lead an active life are listed below:

• A healthy diet and regular exercise is particularly crucial to those who suffer with mental health problems.
• South Somerset residents on a low income are more likely suffer from a poor diet due to the national escalation of food prices.
• Childhood obesity in 2-10 year olds in England has risen from 9.9 per cent in 1995 to 14.3 per cent in 2004. If the trend continues, 20 per cent of 2-10 year olds will be obese by 2010.
• Approximately 21.3 per cent of people in South Somerset smoke, with the poorest smoking families spending around 1/7 of their disposable income on smoking (for the period 2003-2005, modelled estimate from Health Survey of England 2003-2005).
• The Active People Survey, Sport England (2006), found that South Somerset has the lowest physical activity participation rates in the whole of Somerset for males and females aged 16-24 and 25-34.

For any more information about the Community Sports and Physical Activity Network, please contact us.