Clubs, Coaches, Volunteers Newsletter July 2026
Our Annual Review 2025-26
We’re delighted to share our 2025-26 Annual Review. From supporting communities to move more, to developing new partnerships and testing new approaches, 2025–26 has been a year full of learning, collaboration and impact.
Our review looks back at the people, projects and partnerships that have helped shape the year, sharing what we’ve achieved together and what we’ve learned along the way. Whether you’ve worked with us, supported our programmes or simply share our vision of more people, more active, more often across Kent and Medway, thank you for being part of the journey.
Active Kent & Medway's 2026 Conference
SAVE THE DATE: The 2026 Active Kent & Medway Conference will take place on Tuesday 13 October 2026, from 9:30 to 15:30 at the Kent Event Centre, Detling, Kent, ME14 3JF. Bookings will open in September, and you will receive an email to register, but please save the date and add to your calendar.
Our keynote speaker will be Andy Taylor (CEO, Active Partnerships National Organisation). You will also hear from representatives across the sport, physical activity and health sectors as they take part in a Q&A session. There will be a choice of short briefing sessions, as well as the opportunity to network with other delegates. We do hope you can join us on 13 October 2026.
Medway Clubs 'Place Information' Event
Medway is one of Kent’s four Place Partnerships areas, selected as part of Sport England’s national £250 million Place Partnerships programme to tackle inactivity and reduce health inequalities. Our place work in Medway is about connecting and strengthening what already exists and we are keen to connect and hear from local sports clubs in the area.
Come and join our free ‘Place Information Event’, on Wednesday 9 September, 19:00-21:00, to learn more about the Place Partnerships programme, the contributions you currently make, what you’d like to see change, and what barriers you see to increasing activity levels. We encourage local clubs to get involved as this is a great opportunity to hear about the work so far and plans for the future.
Sport Welfare Officers on Tour
This September, our Sport Welfare Officers are heading out across Kent and Medway to meet clubs and communities face to face. For one week, from 28 September – 4 October 2026, Jimmy and Rachel will be visiting local venues including leisure centres and sports facilities, offering informal drop-in sessions for anyone involved in sport and physical activity.
Whether you’re a club welfare officer, coach, volunteer, committee member, centre staff, facility partner, community group leader or participant, Jimmy and Rachel would love you to come and say hello.
Sport Welfare Officers are here to support your club or organisation. Their role is to provide local, practical support to help clubs create safe and positive environments for everyone taking part.
Supporting Neurodivergence in Sport
Is Your Club Ready To Welcome Neurodivergent Members?
In her latest article, Tamzin Reid, a high‑performance sports coach with over 30 years’ coaching experience, shares small practical changes for clubs and coaches to help everyone feel safer and more able to take part.
“For many neurodivergent children and their parents, the hardest part isn’t the activity. It’s the ‘not knowing’. The clubs that stand out are the ones where a family can tell, without asking, that someone has already thought about them.”
Training Opportunities
Creative Curiosity In Practice Webinar Series
Our free online learning series is all about sharing techniques and understanding of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) in practice. Led by Alexia Tam, our Insight, Learning and Evaluation Officer, the series explores how listening, reflection and lived experience can sit at the heart of good MEL.
The series is ideal for anyone new to MEL, or for those who want to explore more human, accessible ways of understanding what’s working, why it matters and how learning can shape what happens next.
DBS Disclosure Webinar
For Sport Sector Organisations in the South East, this workshop, taking place on Thursday 16 July 2026 (13:00 – 15:00), will focus on the disclosure elements of DBS, namely DBS checks, with a particular focus on understanding eligibility for Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS checks.
Delivered by Kelly Matthews, DBS Regional Outreach Adviser, the session is aimed at individuals who are involved in the recruitment of staff or volunteers for sports organisations and would like to learn more about the different types of DBS check and when a role is eligible for a particular type of check.
Buddle Learning Opportunities
Explore a wide range of workshops designed to help clubs and community organisations get organised, be more inclusive, develop and grow, get help from people and deal with money matters.
Training courses are free, bitesize sessions designed to inspire you, improve your skills, enhance your knowledge and help you to develop your club or community organisation. Buddle delivers a year-round programme of training which can be accessed during the day or in the evening.
Other News
Contact Us
We’d love to hear from you
If there’s anything in this newsletter you’d like to discuss, then just get in touch and one of our team members will get back to you as soon as possible. Please email: activekent@kent.gov.uk
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