News

Minister for Sport Richard Caborn to address students at Durham University

(12 February 2003)

The Minister for Sport, Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP and the Chief Operating Officer of Sport England, Roger Draper will be addressing sport students at Durham University on Monday 17 February at the annual lead lecture of the sports degrees.

The speakers are due to outline their vision for sport including the development of high performers, sport in the community and the structure of sport governing bodies.

The audience is mainly the 200 students undertaking the Sport in the Community or Sport Health & Exercise undergraduate degree based at either Queen’s Campus, Stockton or Durham. The sport students will have an opportunity to question both speakers. Local PE teachers and sixth form students from County Durham are also attending.

On a previous visit in 2002, Richard Caborn launched Durham Sporting Club which is a University-led initiative aiming to help young athletes in Durham City reach their full potential through a partnership involving seven of the city’s sports clubs. The Minister described the initiative as “probably the best example in the country of a multi-sports club set around an academic institution” and “an ideal framework within which to encourage participation”.

Durham University is committed to the development of excellence in sport and to the transfer of expertise within the local community in particular. This is achieved through a number of partnerships focusing on among others raising standards in schools in disadvantaged areas, developing world-class swimmers by sharing resources in terms of coaching, fitness training and medical support and promoting a county-wide spirit of cooperation among all organisations interested in sports development.

Media Opportunity: Press are invited to attend the lecture to be held in the St James Knott Hall at Trevelyan College, University of Durham, Elvet Hill Road, Durham on Monday 17 February at 10am (approximate finish time 12noon). There will be interview opportunities with Richard Caborn and Roger Draper following the lecture. Please contact Dionne Hamil, Public Relations Office on 0191 374 1805 if you plan to attend.

Notes to Editors:

1. Last year’s lead lecture was delivered by Steve Cram, Chair of the English Institute of Sport and Wilma Shakespeare, the Institute’s Chief Executive.
2. The rate of sporting participation at Durham University is one of the highest in the country at 92%.

Biographical Details:

Richard Caborn
Rt Hon Richard Caborn, MP for Sheffield Central, was appointed Minister for Sport in June 2001. He served as Minister for Trade at the Department for Trade and Industry (1999-2001) and was Minister of State for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning at the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1997-1999). He became a Privy Councillor in 1999.

Richard is a keen amateur sportsman, playing golf, football and cricket, and led the tour to South Africa of the House of Commons cricket team in 1995. He was involved in taking the World Student Games to his native Sheffield in 1991, as well as the successful bid to make Sheffield the key site in the UK Sports Institute network.

Roger Draper
At 32 years old, Roger Draper is one of the youngest Directors in British sport. He joined Sport England from the Lawn Tennis Association where he was Director of Development for three and a half years.

Roger is an accomplished sportsman. He has captained England at age group level at rugby and was captain of the England men's and ladies senior tennis teams in 1998.

Born in Wigan he has also captained and represented Lancashire and the Northwest at various age groups in both rugby and tennis. He was British Students and British Universities Champion in both sports between 1989 and 1992 and since 1996 has captained the Surrey men's tennis team to National success.
This item was reported in the Journal, Northern Echo, Evening Chronicle and by Radio Newcastle (14/02/03).