The YSF Podcast: Recent Episodes
Yorkshire Sport Foundation
The podcast from Yorkshire Sport Foundation, the Active Partnership for South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. Sharing stories and good practice from the sport and physical activity sector.
YSF CEO Nigel Harrison talks about his journey leading Yorkshire Sport Foundation over the past 24 years.
YSF CEO Nigel Harrison talks about his journey leading Yorkshire Sport Foundation over the past 24 years.
YSF CEO Nigel Harrison talks about his journey leading Yorkshire Sport Foundation over the past 24 years.
In partnership with the National Evaluation and Learning Partnership, we're supporting Sport England's Place Parnterships to understand how to put together a process learning report.
Featuring Dr. Jen Hall (Born in Bradford - JU:MP Local Delivery Pilot), Sarah Wood and Ed Montague (Yorkshire Sport Foundation - Move More Wakefield Place Partnership).
In partnership with the National Evaluation and Learning Partnership, we're supporting Sport England's Place Parnterships to understand how to put together a process learning report.
Featuring Dr. Jen Hall (Born in Bradford - JU:MP Local Delivery Pilot), Sarah Wood and Ed Montague (Yorkshire Sport Foundation - Move More Wakefield Place Partnership).
In partnership with the National Evaluation and Learning Partnership, we're supporting Sport England's Place Parnterships to understand how to put together a process learning report.
Featuring Dr. Jen Hall (Born in Bradford - JU:MP Local Delivery Pilot), Sarah Wood and Ed Montague (Yorkshire Sport Foundation - Move More Wakefield Place Partnership).
Bradford project produces ‘outstanding’ rise in children’s physical activity: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/23/bradford-jump-project-children-exercise-physical-activity
Sunnyfields Primary School in Doncaster has been accredited as a Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity by Yorkshire Sport Foundation.
The accreditation has been awarded in the category of PE Lessons – one of seven categories linked to the Creating Active Schools framework that was devised in Yorkshire in 2019.
This episode discusses their journey to the accreditation and what they have learned along the way.
A Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity and School Sport, we chat to Jon Bedford from Rawmarsh Thorogate School about their success linked to active travel.
Charlotte Ellis, Ed Montague (both Yorkshire Sport Founation) chat with Kris Mackay (Founder of Growing Circles) about the YSF approach to engaging with community groups as part of the Together Fund.
The Together Fund was a continuation of the Tackling Inequalities Fund that was set up in April 2020 as part of Sport England's support package to help the sport and physical activity sector through the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.
It saw another £20 million of National Lottery funding committed to help the groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic and it was significantly impacting their ability to be physically active.
Host: Andy Morgan
The Navigating Local Systems (NLS) work began in the autumn of 2019 and sits alongside the work of Sport England's Local Delivery Pilots. This episode focuses on that work in Wakefield.
NLS helps people and organisations to better understand and connect local systems through developing their knowledge, skills and capacity to drive the change needed to increase physical activity within local communities where the need is the greatest.
Guests
Louise Upton, Strategic Lead, Place Collaboration and Learning Team, Sport England
Amy Sharp, Health Improvement Manager, Wakefield Council
Ken Masser, Miova
Gayle Elvidge, Development Manager (Wakefield), Yorkshire Sport Foundation.
Resources
Sport England - Local Delivery: https://www.sportengland.org/funds-and-campaigns/local-delivery
Navigating Local Systems: Test and learn approach to system change
As part of National School Sport Week, we speak with a primary school in Leeds who have had success and seen wider benefits from engaging in competitive table tennis.
We chat to the sixth school to be accredited as a Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity.
The school has earned the status for its approach to before and after school clubs, providing a wide variety of free opportunities for all pupils and their families, forming a vital part of the school’s vision, enrichment programme and pupil offer.
We turn the sportlight on ourselves, talking through our journey so far in changing the way we operate to minimise any negative impact on the climate.
To read our annual climate report and access our climate policy, visit our website: https://bit.ly/3omt8GC
Active Humber Chief Executive, David Gent joins us for the second in our Climate Series 2023.
David is one of the driving forces behind the sport and physical activity sector playing its role in addressing the climate emergency, sitting on national groups with many large sporting organisations.
David shares with us why he has a personal passion for the climate and what prompted him to make it a significant part of his working life.
Read more about Active Humber's work on the climate: https://bit.ly/3ooU9t4
We speak to Richard Lindsay from Birmingham FA about their award winning 'Save Today, Play Tomorrow' programme.
Find out more on the Birmingham FA website - https://bit.ly/3LbkgwE
New Road Primary School share their story of becoming a Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity.
The school was accredited in the 'Before and after school clubs' category in early 2023, with their innovative approach including 'Family Fitness' sessions.
Guests (All New Road Primary Staff
Sharon Harwood - Headteacher
Lee McGrath - Leads Active Schools
Becky Mitchell - PE lead
Emily Heckler - Sports coach
A Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity, Springvale Primary School in Barnsley share their story with us.
The school were accredited as a Centre of Excellence for their approach to before and after school clubs.
We're joined by Headteacher, Lee McClure; PE Lead, Nic Exley; and school governor, Andy Noble.
Birkby Infant and Nursery School are the latest Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity, and we speak to them about how they achieved the status in the category of 'Physically Active Learning'.
Guests
Paula Manser - PE lead and Senior Leader
Damian Gomersall - Year 2 teacher and computing lead
Rachel Sewell - Year 1 teacher and science lead
Host
Andy Morgan, Media Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation.
Yorkshire Cricket Foundation are leading the way nationally with their approach to walking cricket. We talk to the people involved to understand how they've done it and the impact it is having.
Walking Cricket was developed as a new concept in 2019, which makes cricket accessible to older adults, or individuals who are semi – retired or retired. Walking Cricket is an adaptation of the traditional game of Cricket to suit those with less mobility and caters for different abilities. The project was formed through a partnership with the University of the third age (U3A) and the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation (YCF).
Guests
Will Saville, Managing Director, YCF
Kendal James, Participation Manager, YCF
Mac Mckechnie, Walking Cricket Founder, u3a advisor
Host
Andy Morgan, Media Manager, Yorkshire Sport Foundation
Staff from Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity, Burton Road Primary School in Barnsley, share their schools story of how they became a leading light in offering opportunities for pupils.
Burton Road Primary created a competition and activity package for local schools that helped to bring together pupils from other schools in the area, allowing them to meet and form relationships before beginning secondary school education.
Guests:
Matthew Harris, Headteacher.
Andy Hawksworth, Sports Coach
We chat to Academy at St. James in Bradford, the first Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity named by Yorkshire Sport Foundation.
The Bradford-based school achieved the accreditation for 'Whole School Practice and Ethos', and 'Physical Education'. This episode, with headteacher Chris Tolson, and PESSPA lead, Niall O'Brien, dicsusses whole school practice and ethos.
Academy at St. James - https://academystjames.com/
Centre of Excellence - https://www.yorkshiresport.org/what-we-do/in-education/primary-pe-and-sport/centres-of-excellence/
Creating Active Schools - https://www.creatingactiveschools.org/
We chat with Rashida Salloo, founder of Ready Steady Active, a small organisation based in Kirklees, West Yorkshire. It provides community-based sports, health and physical activity opportunities for women and girls with a focus on increasing participation and health amongst those of South Asian and Muslim background.
This episode looks at how a summer holidays rounders session has led to regular, sustained activity for women and girls in the local community. Sofiya Makda, one of the participants, joins us to share her story, from rounders novice to captain of the Batley Ninja's and member of the West Yorkshire rounders committee. She also reflects on the impact it has had on her life, and we talk more broadly about how to get more women and girls from diverse ethnic communities to be more active.
Part one: 1:32
Where it all began - An introduction to Rashida, Ready Steady Active and the rounders sessions.
Part two: 12:45
Sofiya's experience and the challenges for women from diverse ethnic backgrounds to being active.
Part three: 31:57
The impact of sport in the community.
To coincide with Rainbow Laces Day 2021, we discuss the first 12 months of the Empower LGBT+ project that aims to support more people from the LGBT+ community in Sheffieldto be physically active.
Part one (1:27 - 22:06)
The background to the project
Part two (22:29 - 38:16)
The successes and challenges so far
Part three (38:19 - 50:13)
What's coming next and advice for others
Guests
Katie Glossop, Participation and Inclusion Manager at Sheffield United Community Foundation.
Amy Hood, Empower LGBT+ Project Coordinator
James Laley, Founder of Rainbow Blades
Host
Andy Morgan, Media Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
What is the LGBT+ project?
Empower LGBT+ is a new three-year programme funded by the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association Community Fund (PLPFA) and Yorkshire Sport Foundation, to provide positive safe spaces, free of discrimination, which enable LGBT+ young people aged 11-25 to be regularly active and to provide opportunities to develop their skills and confidence in sport and physical activity.
Rainbow Laces
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/rainbow-laces
We speak to Richard Lindsay from Birmingham FA about their climate friendly 'Save Today, Play Tomorrow' programme.
Richard joined us for our climate series of webinars to discuss the role of the sport and physical activity sector in addressing the climate emergency. This interview is taken from that webinar and includes the audience question and answer session that also featured David Gent, CEO of Active Humber.
You can watch the webinar in full on our YouTube channel : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-iK4G9Psqo&t=3473s
Save Today, Play Tomorrow web page: https://www.birminghamfa.com/about/save-today-play-tomorrow
Guests
Richard Lindsay, Birmingham FA
David Gent, Active Humber
Hosts
Tahir Akram and Andy Morgan
We speak to West Yorkshire Active School Award 2021 winners, New Road Primary School in Halifax.
Head teacher, Sharon Harwood, and sports coach, Emily Heckler talk about some of the initiatives they put in place to keep children active in lockdown, as well as looking at the role of PE, school sport and physical activity in the school as a whole.
We speak to the people behind the award winning Active Dearne walking football session, that has been one of the success stories from the first two years of the project.
The episode looks at the power of trusted people in a community, and how that can support people to be active for the benefit of their physical and mental health.
Guests
Adam Kent, Active Dearne Community Champion
Ian Whitehouse, Community Coach from SJD Sports Coaching
Cllr Ken Wyatt, Swinton/Rockingham Ward councilor and walking football participant
Paul Cummins, Everybody Active Manager in Kirklees
Host
Andy Morgan, Media Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
How do you write a physical activity strategy for an entire district? That's the question we posed two of the people involved in doing so for Sheffield, as the Move More physical activity strategy was refreshed in June 2021.
Part one - 1:21
Part two - 22:14
Guests
Tom Hughes, Development Manager (Sheffield) at Yorkshire Sport Foundation.
Dr. Anna Lowe, Programme Manager, National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (Sheffield).
Host
Andy Morgan, Media Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation.
Find out more: movemoresheffield.com
We spoke to 2TshirtGang to discuss how they used money from the Tackling Inequalities Fund to support women to be active in Bradford during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Part one:
Anthony and Trinity from 2tshirtgang.
Part two: 21:05
Cleo and Daneka share their story.
Part two: Sporting Equals CEO, Arun Kang OBE, is one of our guests as us as we ask how Yorkshire Sport Foundation and the wider sport and activity sector can contribute to race equality. We discuss intersectionality and our guests consider what progress they would like to have been made in twelve months time.
Guests: Arun Kang OBE (Sporting Equals, Chief Executive), Jasneet Kaur (Sporting Equals, Marketing and Communications Manager), Nigel Harrison (Yorkshire Sport Foundation, CEO) and Tahir Akram (Yorkshire Sport Foundation, Development Officer).
Part one: Sporting Equals CEO, Arun Kang OBE, is one of our guests as us as we ask how Yorkshire Sport Foundation and the wider sport and activity sector can contribute to race equality. We look at the response to the Black Lives Matters protests of summer 2020, and look at the Sporting Equals research into the use of the term BAME. This is the first of a two-part episode.
Guests: Arun Kang OBE (Sporting Equals, Chief Executive), Jasneet Kaur (Sporting Equals, Marketing and Communications Manager), Nigel Harrison (Yorkshire Sport Foundation, CEO) and Tahir Akram (Yorkshire Sport Foundation, Development Officer).
We chat with Darton Primary School in Barnsley about how they have spent the last few years challenging stereotypes through sport and activity in their school. We're joined by Totally Runable, who have worked alongside them, on a project which contributed to winning the Innovation category at the South Yorkshire Primary PE and School Sport Premium Awards.
Introduction
3:55 – Getting started
19:09 – Giving staff the confidence
24:34 – Putting it into practice with pupils, staff and parents
45:54 – Looking to the future
Resources
Totally Runable - https://www.totallyrunable.com/
Girls and sport pledge - https://www.totallyrunable.com/what-we-do/school-pe-and-sport/girls-and-sport-pledge-for-schools
Darton Primary School - https://www.dartonprimary.com/
Guests
Jo Lancett – Headteacher at Darton Primary School
Kayleigh Fisher – PE Coordinator at Darton Primary School
Natalie Jackson – Co-founder and Director at Totally Runable
Jenny Meadows OLY – Director of Communications and Relations at Totally Runable
Host
Andy Morgan - Media Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
We’re joined by Sue Wilkinson MBE, CEO of the Association of Physical Education; and her colleague, Steve Caldecott, Head of Health and Safety. We discuss the impact of Covid-19 on the delivery of physical education in schools, and how PE can play even more of a crucial role in the wellbeing of pupils.
Introduction
4:01 – How has Covid-19 impacted on the delivery of PE?
19:15 – The role of PE in supporting a balanced curriculum
42:59 – Updates from the YSF PE and School Sport Team: PE Premium, PE conferences, Yorkshire Primary PE Awards, Daily Mile Destinations, and #ThisIsPE.
Resources
Reactivating learning - https://www.afpe.org.uk/physical-education/wp-content/uploads/Reactivating-Learning-Obverse.pdf
afPE Launch New 2020 Edition of ‘Safe Practice’ - https://www.afpe.org.uk/physical-education/afpe-launch-new-2020-edition-of-safe-practice/
Guests
Sue Wilkinson MBE – Chief Executive at the Association for Physical Education
Steve Caldecott – Head of Health and Safety at the Association for Physical Education
Alex Ogden – PE and School Sport Lead at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
Charlotte Ellis – PE and School Sport Development Officer at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
Darren Huart – The Daily Mile Coordinator, Yorkshire Sport Foundation
Host
Andy Morgan - Media Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
We chat about a project that has got more women coaching and participating in the traditionally male dominated world of boxing.
Punch Like a Girl breaks new ground - https://www.englandboxing.org/news_articles/punch-like-a-girl-breaks-new-ground/
Guests
Debra Cummins – Children and Young People lead at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
Ashleigh Hurrell – Club Support Officer at England Boxing
Dennis Robbins - CEO at The Hunslet Club
Kellie - Coach at the Hunslet Club
Host
Andy Morgan - Media Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
The termly look at all things PE and School Sport in South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
We talk about the Yorkshire Primary PE Sport Premium Awards, including hearing from one of the 2019 winners. We also turn the spotlight on the Active Lives Children and Young People results.
Introduction – PE conferences and School Games
8:55 – Dan Bright, PE Coordinator at Green Lane Primary Academy
30:53 – How to get involved in the Yorkshire Primary PE Awards
40:30 – How active are young people in England?
Guests
Charlotte Ellis – PE and School Sport Development Officer at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
Dan Bright – PE Coordinator at Garforth Primary Academy
Emma Gooch – Data and Insight Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
Host
Andy Morgan - Media Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
Released on the International Day of People with Disabilities 2019, episode five asks if mixed ability is the future of grassroots provision. We’re in conversation with International Mixed Ability (IMAS) based in Bradford, to share how the mixed ability movement is progressing.
Resources
International Mixed Ability Sport website
http://www.mixedabilitysports.org/
Evaluation of the Mixed Ability Sport Programme (as referenced in the episode)
http://bit.ly/ImpactIMAS
IMAS YouTube channel
http://bit.ly/YouTubeIMAS
Further reading - Evaluating the impact of Mixed Ability Sport
http://www.mixedabilitysports.org/evaluating-the-impacts-of-ma-sport/
International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament
Cork 2020 - http://imartworldcup.org/
Bradford 2015 - http://www.mixedabilitysports.org/mixed-ability-rugby-world-tournament/
Guests
Mark Goodwin – Director and Co-Founder of IMASWith over thirty years of contribution to service provision in the disability and autism sectors as a consultant and specialist tutor. Mark recognised the opportunity to combine the WEA/IMAS ‘Inclusion in Rugby’ and ‘Inclusion in Sports’ projects with a national training programme. Mark now works with a number of NGB’s and leads on the training and delivery of Mixed Ability Sports to grassroots clubs across England.
Martino Corazza – Director and Co-founder of IMASPassionate about rugby and lifelong education. Player and qualified coach both in the UK and Italy, holds a MA in Disability Studies from the University of Leeds. Co-founder of Chivasso Rugby, first Italian Mixed Ability team, has been working for years in European projects aiming to develop international co-operation and social inclusion. Creator of the Mixed Ability Rugby World Tournament, now IMART, Martino oversees IMAS international expansion.
Dr. Jen Dyer – University of LeedsDr. Jen Dyer is a Lecturer in Sustainability at the University of Leeds. She is interested in research which has real impact and which approaches issues holistically, taking into account many perspectives. She has been evaluating Mixed Ability sport for the past four years, using a range of methods such as interviews, focus groups and participant observation, as well as taking part in many of the sports herself. The research has taught her more about society than she could have ever have imagined!
Host – Andy Morgan, Media Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation
Episode four focusses on PE, school sport and physical activity, providing an update for those working in or with primary schools.
Introduction 3:15 - Steve Caldecott – Head of Health and Safety for Association for Physical Education. As well as his role at AfPE, Steve is an independent Ofsted inspector. We speak to him about the new inspection framework and what schools can do to be prepared.
11:25 - PE and School Sport Premium
Dan Wilson from YSF updates on the recent changes to the PE and School Sport Premium grant.
16:45 - Matt Carbutt – Principal at Orchard Primary Academy
Matt reflects on how attending the Creating Active Schools conference has inspired him to put physically active learning at the heart of his school’s ethos.
30:23 - Reflections
Dan Wilson reflects on Matt’s story and explains how the Creating Active Schools framework is being put into practice in the JUMP project in Bradford.
37:40 - Noticeboard Dates for the diary and things to know.
Resources
www.yorkshiresport.org/PrimaryPE
www.yorkshiresport.org/CreatingActiveSchools
Primary PE and School Sport Premium - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pe-and-sport-premium-for-primary-schools
Association for Physical Education - http://www.afpe.org.uk/
Children and Young People Active Lives - https://www.sportengland.org/research/active-lives-survey/active-lives-children-and-young-people/
To opt-in to the survey contact Charlotte.Ellis@yorkshiresport.org
The Daily Mile Destinations – www.yorkshiresport.org/TheDailyMile
JU:MP project - https://joinusmoveplay.org/
We're joined by Chris Bailey, Head of Sheffield United Community Foundation, to discuss how better demonstrating their impact is making them a more efficient and focussed organisation.
Sheffield United Community Foundation - http://www.sufc-community.com/
Yorkshire Sport Foundation and DataHub - www.yorkshiresport.org/Data
4Global - https://4global.com/
DataHub - https://datahub.io/
A Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) is a small geographical area designed to improve the reporting of small area statistics in England. Within DataHub, LSOAs are used to show participation so that a better understanding can be gained as to where participants are coming from, being able to pinpoint a smaller area than ward level.
Mosaic Segmentation: Generally breaks down areas into demographics, explaining the general income of households, number of children, age group and communication preferences.
Host - Andy Morgan (Media Manager at YSF)
Guests - Chris Bailey (Head of Sheffield United Community Foundation) and Emma Gooch (Data and Insight Manager at YSF).
Asset-based community development: The Active Burngreave approach
Kathryn Mudge and Safiya Saeed from Yorkshire Sport Foundation discuss the asset-based community development approach they have taken in the Burngreave area of Sheffield, using sport and physical activity to address challenges faced by the community.
Welcome (0:01 – 1:30)
Part 1 – What, where and why? (1:32)
An introduction to asset-based community development and why Burngreave was chosen to pilot this approach.
More on an asset-based approach - https://www.nurturedevelopment.org/
Active Burngreave – https://www.yorkshiresport.org/ActiveBurngreave
Part 2 – The plan (11:35)
The foundations that were put in place to set the project up to be successful.
The Active Burngreave model - http://bit.ly/AB_Approach
Part 3 – Putting the plan into action (40:47)
Part 4 – Evaluation and celebrating success (50:15)
Nurture Development blog - http://bit.ly/AB_Pod_Blog
Part 5 – What next? (1:08:10)
Part 6 – Sahal’s story (1:16)
Sahal’s story video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcP7mQVY3jM
Healthy Schools - www.yorkshiresport.org/HealthySchools
Yorkshire Sport Foundation Primary PE and School Sport support - www.yorkshiresport.org/PrimaryPE
School sport and activity action plan - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-sport-and-activity-action-plan
CreatingActiveSchools - www.yorkshiresport.org/CreatingActiveSchools
Twitter accounts
Association for Physical Education - @afPE_PE
Youth Sport Trust - @YouthSportTrust
Dan Wilson - @TheDanWilson
Yorkshire Sport Foundation - @YorkshireSport