New chief for Youth Games

Sports charity the South West Youth Games Trust has appointed its first ever Chief Executive. Chris Broadbent, who has previously worked for Team GB and for the London Olympics has joined the Trust with an aim to increase activity levels among young people across Devon and Cornwall.

The charity was created in 2015 to save the Devon Youth Games and has since grown its main event into the South West Rotary Youth Games, expanding into Cornwall as well as every Devon district.

It is now the region’s biggest youth multi-sport community event with around 10,000 taking part in the journey towards its finals events.

43 year old Broadbent worked as a Media Manager for Team GB at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and as Beach Volleyball Venue Manager at London 2012. He has also worked for five years at the London Youth Games, Europe’s largest event of its type and as Head of Marketing for early years’ swimming company Water Babies.

The new CEO said: “We have some big challenges ahead of us. There are some very worrying trends around obesity and the mental wellbeing of young people in our communities.

“But there is absolute consensus among experts on the transformative effects physical activity can have on young people. Better still, there a real appetite from the public and private sector to address these really important issues.

“Our population is spread over an area of 4000 square miles in Devon and Cornwall. But we have lots of innovative ideas over how to take the South West Rotary Youth Games right across the whole region throughout the year and provide more accessible opportunities, particularly for inactive young people.”

“We believe sport and physical activity are the foundations of healthy, happy communities and we are really keen to collaborate with like-minded organisations across the South West. Please email us at swyouthgames@gmail.com if you would like to join us on our mission.”