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David relishes giving city a sporting chance
Back in 2002, David Heddon's planned retirement was put on the backburner as he agreed to help to set up a body to strengthen sport in Leeds.
Seven years on, the city's sporting scene is thriving – the reason Heddon finds himself still enjoying his role as Sport Leeds chairman at the age of 65.
Heddon, who lives in Boston Spa, acknowledges that Sport Leeds is still somewhat unknown to Joe Public.
The body, the "strategic, lead agency for sport and active recreation across the Leeds district", pulls together the city's various agencies, striving to promote and improve sporting opportunities.
Sport in the city is booming with examples ranging from engage Super League champions Leeds Rhinos to impressive statistics regarding participation in physical activity.
Heddon knows that more challenges lie ahead – not least Leeds' involvement in London 2012 – but the Sport Leeds chairman relishes his role several years after supposedly just setting up short term.
"I worked for Sport England and retired as regional director of the Yorkshire region," explained Heddon.
"Soon after retirement, I was approached by John Davies, the then director in Leeds, as to whether I would help to set up a new strategic sports partnership and just to get it under way.
"I agreed to that, I said I would help to set up and chair it for the first year and I'm still here!
"The reason I am still here is that I really do believe in the value of connecting all the different agencies in Leeds for the benefit of sport development in the city.
"Leeds has much to be proud of in the sporting context – Leeds can be really proud of its achievements at all sorts of levels and all sorts of sports and we've got the upcoming Carnegie World Club Challenge between the Rhinos and Manly Sea Eagles at which the city council is going to provide a civic reception for both teams."
Heddon knows that sporting-wise Leeds looks to have cracked it.
A whole range of athletes represented Leeds at Beijing's Olympic and Paralympic Games last year, the city's rugby league side are the best in the land and the sporting facilities in Yorkshire's largest city are up there with the best.
Heddon is particularly thrilled with the city's two universities.
Leeds Met is now the UK Centre For Coaching Excellence while work is under way on new facilities at Leeds University, including a health and fitness complex and a 25m swimming pool.
A big part of Heddon's role concerns increasing participation in sport and he is cautiously excited with figures released by recent Sport England participation surveys.
"You have always got to treat statistics with a degree of caution but in the active people survey recently, in participation terms, Leeds has moved from 218th out of 354 authorities up to 16th," he said.
"That is based on a sample, a relatively small sample I have to say, but a sample trying to find out the number of people who take part in sport or active recreation on three occasions for half an hour each week.
"Suddenly the Leeds percentage has gone up from 20 per cent to 27 per cent.
"That is a significant increase, if it is correct – and we are regarding those figures with a degree of caution – but if it is identifying a trend it is encouraging.
"A similar survey reported that the percentage of people at school, aged five to 16 in Leeds getting two hours of quality physical education every week, is now at 91 per cent where the national figure is 85 per cent.
"Again, Leeds has moved ahead."
Heddon knows Sport Leeds have played a big part in the city's success through their co-ordination but he is not one to rest on his laurels.
Plans are in place for initiatives throughout 2009 with May designated as "Be Sporty Month".
Through initiatives such as Taking The Lead and the Leeds 2012 Group, Heddon is aware that the city must capitalise as much as possible on the London Games, not only through its contribution but also through developing sporting, educational and cultural opportunities in Leeds both before and after the Olympics.
Then there is the Sport Leeds sixth annual seminar to be held on Wednesday, May 20 at Leeds Met featuring 1980 Olympic gold medallist breaststroke swimmer Duncan Goodhew as well as workshops and master-classes with the likes of Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McClennan.
Before that comes the Leeds Sports Awards on Monday, February 23.
Heddon remains focused on improving the city's sporting scene further.
"Let's put it into perspective," he said. "If we have only got 27 per cent of people who are participating to the equivalent of three times a week for half an hour each session, that still leaves 73 per cent who are not hitting that target.
"The Department of Health actually goes beyond the three times a week, their target is to get people participating five times a week so there is no degree of complacency here.
"What we are saying is trends are encouraging but there is still a long, long way to go."
Not a day goes by without the term credit crunch being used and while it is predominantly businesses and jobs affected, Heddon is also aware that the current financial crisis can threaten sport.
In tough times, Heddon is working hard to ensure that a monthly gym membership is not perceived as the first "luxury" that may have to go.
"As the credit crunch bites, some of the things that may go is what people spend on sport and leisure," he warned.
"We are keeping our eyes on figures through the doors of the sports centres and leisure centres and on the subscriptions of clubs and so on because there is a danger that if the trend that has been identified is correct and we are increasing participation, then finance might bite and it might have the opposite effect.
"For example, if somebody has got a direct debit of 30 a month to attend a fitness gym and money becomes tight then that may be one of the things that they decide has got to go.
"We would say that keeping a healthy and active lifestyle is very important and we would like to encourage people to maintain their levels of activity at the moment if at all possible."
Seven years on, Heddon also seems likely to maintain his activity with Sport Leeds.
Heddon, now a keen golfer at Wyke Ridge Golf Club, is also a former Yorkshire League tennis player and local footballer and lives and breathes sport.
Leading Leeds towards the next sporting decade, he still thrives in his role even though he knows he can't go on forever.
"I am still very keen and enthusiastic about it all," he added.
"Let's leave it at that!"
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
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