31 Oct Coach Core Essex Apprentices meet royals!
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have given the royal seal of approval to Essex’s next generation of sports coaches after meeting apprentices and graduates from the Coach Core Essex apprenticeship scheme at Basildon Sporting Village. Coach Core is part of the Royal Foundation which is the primary philanthropic and charitable vehicle for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Coach Core arrived in Essex three years ago with Active Essex curating a group of employees committed to the Royal Foundations thinking that sport can help empower young people aged 16-24, not in education or employment, by providing opportunities to become the next generation of top sports coaches. The event marked the first Royal visit to see the Coach Core Essex scheme in action.
Apprentices receive technical and holistic coaching skills, with a strong focus on employability through their work with local sports clubs and organisations which help them build relationships to develop their careers. The apprenticeship programme in Essex is managed by Active Essex, the county sports partnership for Greater Essex.
During the visit to Basildon Sporting Village, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge learned how Coach Core Essex is engaging a diverse local community through sport. They met with apprentices from two partner organisations: Sport for Confidence and South Essex Gymnastics Club, which have both been involved with the scheme since its inception and employed several apprentices. They also met graduates from Chelmsford Athletics and Prosports Solutions, both of whom have been supporting apprentices on the programme for two years.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took part in a series of coaching masterclasses delivered by current apprentices and graduates across a number of sports, including tennis, indoor athletics, and boccia.
Their Royal Highnesses also watched national-standard gymnasts in training in the gymnastics centre, home to South Essex Gymnastics Club, as well as a pre-school session run by Coach Core apprentices and graduates.
