Sport & Health » Sporting Events and Participation Activities

East Midlands Development Agency has a track record of supporting major sporting events, as they bring income and investment into the region.

Such events also provide the opportunity to include participation activities, supporting our aim to use the 2012 Games as a catalyst to increase and promote healthy lifestyles.

Here are some examples of events and activities that emda has supported.

emda is supporting the Samsung Hockey Champions Trophy, taking place in Nottingham from 10th to 18th July 2010. The tournament sees the six of the best women's teams in the world battle it out for the highly prized Champions Trophy, including England.

The event, which will be held at Highfields Sports Club Nottingham, will also host the Men's Four Nations Trophy, featuring Great Britain.

emda is also supporting the Quicksticks festival, to coincide with the tournament, which will see increased participation in the sport of hockey in primary schools across the region

Hockey Champions Trophy:
www.wct2010.com

The region hosts two major cycling events; the East Midlands International Cicle Classic from Oakham to Melton, and the Lincoln Grand Prix.

Both events, supported by emda in 2010, have grown in stature, attracting international teams and riders.

East Midlands International CiCLE Classic:
www.cicleclassic.co.uk

Lincoln Grand Prix:
www.lincolngrandprix.org.uk

Loughborough University hosted an international badminton tour match between England and Japan in October 2009. The event builds on the agreement between the University and the Japanese Olympic Committee.

Prior to the match a group of 25 young badminton players from the region were given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train alongside Japanese players at a special coaching clinic hosted at the University.

Trent Bridge cricket ground hosted the ICC World Twenty 20 in June 2009. Independent research commissioned by emda and Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club showed that the tournament was worth over £6 million to the region.

emda supported cricket coaching taster events delivered across the parishes of Rushcliffe, to coincide with  the ICC World Twenty 20, which saw 429 young people in the Borough take part.

The FA Women's Cup Final has been hosted in the region for the past four years, at Nottingham Forest's City Ground in 2007, 2008 and 2010, and Derby County's Pride Park in 2009. Bringing the event to the region has seen record crowds, doubling the attendances previously achieved.

The Weekend Football Festival in Derby, attached to the FA Women's Cup Final in 2009, saw 130 girls participating in the emda Trophy.