A major Club Development Seminar will take place in the South Court Hotel on Saturday 18th February. The event is run by the Limerick City and County Limerick Sports Partnerships. Attendees will have the chance to win their club one of three €1000 equipment grants simply by attending.

The Get BACk Challenge is a registered charity that raises funds to support a broad range of health and activity initiatives aimed particularly at socially disadvantaged children.  The Focus Consulting organized Get BACk Challenge is now in its sixth year of operation having started in 2006.  Since the start of the Get BACk over 7,000 children have benefitted from programmes operated through the Local Sports Partnerships including Limerick City and County

Each year a number of fundraisers including a major cycle and walk / run are organised to generate funds to support the programme. Funds raised by the Get BACk Charity are distributed under the following headings:

• Sports and Activity for children in areas of social disadvantage
• Funds to facilitate disability sports
• Programmes to tackle childhood obesity
• Contributions to home care Hospice programmes

One of the world’s best known sports figures and long time friend of the Get BACk Challenge Greg LeMond has become our first Sports Ambassador. The three time Tour de France winner and double World Champion has participated in the past four Get BACk cycling challenges to support the many programmes operated under Get BACk. During past visits to the area Greg has visited a number of sports projects in the Regeneration Areas and launched new cycle initiatives for schools.

The success of a number of programmes funded under the Get BACk through the Sports Partnership is best illustrated by the recent representation of a number of Limerick athletes at the World Scholar Games. A number of the participants at the USA hosted event were among the many who participated in the First Sports programme, Activity Camps through to the Teen Fit programme that saw the group train and complete the 10km in the Great Limerick Run. We were proud to support to support so many programmes that has resulted in a number of children progress to avail of this fantastic opportunity in the USA.

Students of the MSc Marketing, Consumption & Society presenting proceeds of their fundraising as part of the Get BACk Marketing Leadership Challenge in UL Kemmy Business School

One of the first annual fundraisers to take place each year is the UL Kemmy Business Schools post graduates in marketing leadership module that challenges students to raise funds for a nominated Get BACk project. The objective over the past number of years has been to create awareness of Get BACk projects while raising funds through innovative initiatives.  Last year €6,000 was raised and presented to provide crèche facilities  and specific activity equipment in areas of social disadvantage. This year will see the MSc Marketing, Consumption & Society students take on the 2012 Get BACk Marketing Leadership Challenge in February.  We will keep you posted of events as they happen.

Pictured at the Mayoral Recpetion to mark the Get BACk’s Pride of Place award were (l-r) Eddie Price, City Sports Partnership, Mark O’Connell, Get BACk, Rosemary Ryan, City Sports Partnership, Mayor Jim Long, Brian McGann Get BACk and Diarmuid Hyde, GECAS Shannon.

Get BACk was a recent winner of a national Cooperation Ireland award under the Sport in the Community category. The All Ireland award was presented to Get BACk at a gala event in Gorey with Minister Phil Hogan presenting the awards. The award was presented for the innovative approach to bringing so many partners together to deliver sustainable sports activity programmes in disadvantaged communities through the Sports Partnership.