Awards success for Manchester’s student sport experience

11 Jul 2014

The University’s Hall Sport programme has won the first CUBO (College and University Business Officers) Award for Excellence in Student Sport Experience

Presented for the first time in 2014 jointly to Manchester and Loughborough University, this new award recognises higher education sport programmes that have genuinely enhanced the student experience.

Hall Sport is a participation programme funded by Sport England and designed to provide the University’s 8,700 students living in halls with free sports and activities on their doorstep.

It was launched in 2011 as part of a three year annually funded project, with an initial capital investment to refurbish an outdoor pitch on one of the three main campuses to assist in the delivery of the programme. The Athletic Union Clubs have also engaged with the programme and helped shape its delivery.

The programme delivers 45 hours of activity each week, ranging from dance to five-a-side football. Individual registration figures have grown from just over 1,000 (in 2011) to 3,000 (in 2014).

Hall Sport is now fully embedded into the Halls of residence package and ‘student life’ offer as a result of the effective partnership within residences and the simple online registration process that makes it easy for students to get involved/access.

As a testament to the success of the programme and its impact, the University has recognised the benefit of Hall Sport and agreed to continue to fund the programme.

Now in their third year, the CUBO Awards were presented on 3 July 2014 at Royal Holloway, University of London. Pictured with Ken Livingstone (centre) are (left to right): Andy Ellison, Sport Development Coordinator, Helen McGlashan, Director of Residential Services, Imogen Greatbatch, Sport Development Manager and Vicky Foster-Lloyd, Head of Sport and Active Lifestyles.

Helen McGlashan said: “The student experience is so important to University life and Hall Sport contributes massively to it by providing a different sporting offer to run alongside a student’s academic life. It also gives our students opportunities to gain essential experience and qualifications through coaching and leading sessions.”