Election candidates sign pledge to support sport

Election candidates sign pledge to support sport

Jersey Sport, an independent organisation, launched its Vote for Sport and Active Living campaign and held a breakfast briefing last week to put their case to the election hopefuls. Around half of the 91 Islanders standing for the States Assembly attended the briefing at the Pomme d’Or Hotel.

The campaign asks candidates to ensure that sport plays a major part in government policy and that adequate funding is available for future projects.

Jersey Sport chief executive Catriona McAllister said: ‘From our point of view it served its purpose.

‘There were people in the room who, I think, because we are “Jersey Sport” didn’t realise that we have a wider remit for activities and healthy lifestyles.

‘There is more work to be done because once they get into the heat of politics there are always competing priorities but by selling them the outcomes of promoting active living – which helps education, reduction in crime, the economy as well as obviously health – we have given them something to think about.

‘Keeping everybody fit and healthy can impact every member of the population, which for me is a very compelling argument.’

Several Jersey sport stars have backed the campaign and Jersey Sport has said it will list those who signed the #voteforsport pledge board on its website – so far around a third of all candidates have done so.

The candidates have already had a busy time meeting representatives of the Island’s various sectors. Senatorial candidates were grilled by both the agriculture and business communities at hustings events while a cross-section of hopefuls also discussed the issues impacting on the construction industry at a Construction Council event earlier in the election campaign.

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