John Birch is Assistant Director, Parkland & Venues for Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. He joined the Authority in 1999 and is responsible for the operation of the Parkland & Venues section with particular emphasis on safety, management and adherence to statutory requirements. He deputises for the Corporate Director of Parkland and Venues providing support in the strategic management and development of the department and support for the operational team in relation to performance and contract management. John was part of the project team which helped deliver the £16m Lee Valley Athletics centre which opened in 2006.
Over the last nine years John has worked closely with the Olympic Delivery Authority, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, the Government Olympic Executive and National Governing bodies to deliver the Lee valley White Water Centre, the Lee Valley VeloPark and the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis centre all used for the 2012 Olympic Games. John is now working on the delivering a lasting legacy for these iconic venues.
John previously worked as an Estates and Operations Manager for the Millennium Commission in Yorkshire, as the Operations Manager for Gosling Sports Park in Welwyn Garden City and Manager at Picketts Lock. John is graduated from Lancaster University in 1985 and achieved his MBA in 1995.
He enjoys his rugby and all watersports and balances his time between the UK and Greece where he has recently built a house.
At the SMART Way Forward CPD Business and Coaching Conference 2013, John Birch will be delivering the following keynote address:
10.00am – 10.30am
How Lee Valley Regional Park Authority is continuing to develop sport and business within the Region
Sport in Lee Valley is all about inclusion. The idea of involving the greatest number of people in sport in our region is what drives the Regional Park Authority’s Sports Development team.
So whether it’s supporting excellence at the highest Olympic level or simply encouraging fun sport for families, Lee Valley is 100% dedicated to making it happen.
As Lee Valley is home to several world class sports venues, sports linked to these centres of excellence have been given particular priority. Several outreach projects and London 2012 legacy programmes are in place, to both support high achievement and encourage increased physical activity for all. These priority sports include:
Athletics
Cycling
Equestrian
Golf
Hockey
Ice sports
Paddle sports
Tennis
And given the total commitment to inclusion, there’s an ongoing drive to promote disability sport, education and lifelong learning, quality assurance through the QUEST framework and the distribution of sports development grants.
Local authorities in London, Herts and Essex, county sports partnerships, national governing bodies, sport clubs – there’s an effectively joined-up effort between many partners driving sport development in Lee Valley. Sport England is particularly involved, with several Lottery Funding Agreements in action, linked to the region’s London 2012 venues.
The ambition to promote opportunities for people to get active also extends to Lee Valley Regional Park’s countryside and open spaces. In every corner of the park’s 10,000 acres, there’s a sustained effort to maximize sports options to the widest possible audience.
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