Local Area Context

We believe that there are vital links between sports and active lives; health and wellbeing, education opportunities, economic regeneration and cultural participation.

Leicester is a vibrant, culturally well developed and cosmopolitan city with a strong professional sporting infrastructure. However, many of the citizens of New Parks are not yet benefting directly from the city’s growth and opportunities, both socially and economically. 41.09% of residents in New Parks are economically inactive and 33% of households have children who have no adult in employment. Health indicators remain poor in New Parks compared to the rest of the city and the UK, with the life expectancy for men being 76.2 years and for women being 81.2 years. This is considerably lower than the national average.

The data suggest that New Parks is one of the most deprived wards in Leicester with an estimated 2,160 children living within the defnition of poverty. In the past it has been perceived as the ‘forgotten estate’ as some consider it to have lacked external investment. These many factors create signifcant challenges when developing our interventions to deliver sport and physical activity initiatives.

To tackle some of these inequalities we have developed a whole system approach to create a clear strategy, linked to key actions which focus on how all of our students and New Parks residents can beneft from sport and physical activity. We will continue to involve a range of key partners from the public, private and third sectors in the implementation of this strategy to allow us to be successful in achieving our vision through an asset-based community development approach that places people at the heart of the decision-making process.

In adopting a whole systems approach, we are keen to promote New College Leicester’s role in the regeneration of New Parks, enhancing the local infrastructure with outstanding sporting facilities and ensuring fair and equitable access for local residents and the wider community.

Future policies must inspire fundamental and unchanging values early in life which naturalise high levels of sporting activity. Working with local primary schools and reaching out to families will allow them to utilise the sports community hub that is New College.

With the economic growth across the city, comes the need for a skilled, motivated and resilient workforce, and we believe that New College Leicester and the New Parks community will be well placed to deliver a healthier, engaged and productive workforce for the future.