Sports For All continues to push sports and community cohesion forward

Rochdale's Mayor, Councillor Robin Parker, meets Atifa Shah (left) and Hanief Mohammed (right) from Sport For All, with Rochdale's Labour Parliamentary candidate Simon Danczuk.

The Sports For All (SFA) management team met the Mayor, Councillor Robin Parker, this week to discuss their work within Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale.

At the meeting Hanief Mohammed, SFA Communications Officer, explained how the group has, over the past decade, used sports as a vehicle to promote community cohesion.

Mr Mohammed said: “I think the community leaders were pleasantly surprised regarding how much work we carry out on a weekly basis, all voluntary of course. We have three activities running on a weekly basis attracting people from diverse backgrounds.

"We spoke of our outcomes and provided evidence of how we have effectively used sports to help promote health, fitness and community cohesion over the past decade. We also mentioned future projects and the challenges we need to meet to ensure our youth remain healthy by continuing to have access to sports facilities at affordable prices.”

Atifa Shah, former member of Rochdale’s Youth Parliament and a Director of Link for Life, was also present at the meeting.
Ms Shah provided a briefing on her latest project, which is to involve setting up a youth club for women.

She commented: “Following the meeting at the Town Hall, both myself and [Rochdale's Labour Parliamentary candidate] Simon Danczuk appeared on the local radio station – Crescent Radio – and spoke of the role sports can play in our communities. We agreed to meet again and continue this dialogue. We welcome their support in future Sports for All projects.”

Simon Danczuk, said: "Sports For All are exactly the kind of organisation we need in Rochdale, bringing people together, involving and including people, helping build community cohesion in our town. All the volunteer time that the Sports For All activists put in to working with young people is fantastic. It's building youngsters confidence, providing them with team and leadership skills and it's keeping them occupied and out of trouble. I look forward to working more with Sports For All, assisting them in any way I can."

The Mayor said: “Two of the best ways of promoting social cohesion are through sport and the arts. Sports for All are an organisation working to bring communities together. I believe that they have produced results and are moving forward with an agenda which I hope can be rolled out across the whole Borough. I wish them well.”