Alderney has a new youth sport development officer
A NEW youth sport development officer has been appointed for Alderney.
Chichester University graduate and Guernsey resident Tom Veillard will take on the role from September. He will live and work in the island full-time.
He will split his time between working in St Anne’s School, under the guidance of head teacher Martin Winward, and supporting young people within Alderney’s local sports clubs in coordination with the Alderney Sports Foundation.
‘This opportunity allows me to continue my passion for coaching, sports development and teaching PE,’ Mr Veillard said.
‘I am really excited to be taking on this role and working with everyone involved to further develop sporting opportunities in Alderney.’
The new role will draw on the expertise of the Guernsey Sports Commission and will be supported by Education, Sport & Culture and the ASF, through the Primary School Sport Partnership.
The commission will be supporting throughout with advice and training, as well as contributing £10,000 to the role.
Jeremy Frith, from the commission, said it was keen to support sport in the other island.
‘We recognised the importance of creating an offer that was right for Alderney and it was important for us to have a more permanent presence on the island,’ he said.
‘We think this is a significant step in supporting the development of sport in Alderney and a wonderful opportunity for the community, St Anne’s and Tom to make some real progress alongside our other partners.’
The recent establishment of the Alderney Sports Foundation, led by Simon Brazier, has been key to forging a partnership with ESC, the commission and St Anne’s School.
‘The Alderney Sports Foundation works towards giving every child in Alderney a sporting chance,’ Mr Brazier said.
‘The appointment of Tom is a significant step forwards as we work with the Guernsey Sports Commission, St Anne’s School and our committed local sports clubs to improve sporting participation.’
Mr Winward welcomed the move.
‘It is a great opportunity to be able to work closely with the Sports Commission and the Education committee in support of raising participation in sports for young people in Alderney,’ he said.
‘Promoting the benefits of an active lifestyle is close my heart and having the additional support to engage with clubs on-island is fabulous. This pro-active approach has been embraced by the school community and we are excited to see how this may progress in the future. The school is committed to developing the whole child: mind, body and soul.’
