The “#Ucan” scheme was the first major community project to be delivered as part of Coventry’s 10 year Sports Strategy and is managed by Coventry City Council and delivered in the heart of the Foleshill community in partnership with the Coventry Sports Foundation, Sky Blues in the Community and Positive Youth Foundation.

The award recognises a sport and/or physical activity project which uses innovative approaches to improve health and enhance the quality of life and/or participation levels of the people in Coventry, Solihull or Warwickshire.

The project is funded by Sport England’s Community Sport Activation Fund and the city was awarded £215,000 over three years. #Ucan was set up to increase community participation in sporting activities and has proven to be an enormous success in its first year, showing a huge increase in numbers attending sporting and recreational activities.

To date just over 18,000 participant attendances have taken part in the programme - made up of 4,972 individual participants. 3,650 of those are aged 14 plus and 82% involved are from the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) community.

#Ucan was designed to help with the transition and closure of Foleshill sports and leisure centre and support the opening of the new swimming facilities at Centre AT7 in Coventry. The centre has seen an increase its membership by 156%, of which 83% are from priority communities and highlights the great example of partnership work which has delivered a significant change to the people involved in the programme.

Cllr Abdul Khan, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, Sports and Parks said:

“This award is fantastic recognition for the work the #Ucan scheme has done in generating more interest and participation in sporting and leisure activities within local communities in Coventry, and, I’d personally like to thank and congratulate everyone who has worked so hard behind the scenes to help make this project such a great success. “To have been able to generate such an increase in participation in activities, especially among those from within BME communities, is particularly pleasing. These awards really highlight the range of sports and physical activities and opportunities available locally, which the council works closely with our partners to deliver.

Sport England Director of Community Sport, Mike Diaper said,

“#Ucan’s record of getting thousands more people living in Foleshill active makes them worthy winners of this award. I am delighted that thanks to National Lottery funding, Sport England could work with Coventry City Council and their partners on making this programme a reality, and I wish them continued success.” The Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Sports Awards is an annual event to celebrate outstanding sporting success and those who have made a tremendous contribution to sport in the sub region, as volunteers, administrators, coaches or athletes. The event is managed and supported by a representative group of key partner organisations including BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, CSW Sport, Coventry City Council, Coventry University, EnV, Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council and the University of Warwick.