BT may think its "good to talk" but when nothing follows you might as well have saved your breath. That is certainly the opinion of the movers and shakers involved in the High Peak Sport & Recreation Forum and its feeder forums in Buxton, Glossop and the Central Belt where purposeful discussion is followed by positive action. Set up 2 years ago to provide the Borough Council with a consultative body, representative of the sporting community of the High Peak, the Forum has grown into new roles as attitude leader, campaigning group and provider of facilities and opportunities to participate.
The Chair of the High Peak Forum explained: "The three local forums meet on a regular basis and give local clubs from any and all sports the chance to exchange good practice, form links and initiate change. Where the issue raised is of Borough significance the business goes to the High Peak Forum and if necessary on to the Derbyshire and Peak Park Sport and Recreation Forum. That's the theory: but after banging our heads on a lot of political and financial brick walls we have resolved to take action locally wherever possible. Our relationships with Buxton's Specialist Sports College and St Philip Howard Catholic High School - which is bidding for the same status - are excellent and it is through these structures that most progress will be made."
The Forum has been the catalyst for, or contributed significantly to local projects such as the creation of a table tennis centre of excellence, floodlighting of Buxton Community School's artificial pitch, the creation and distribution of a clubs' directory and the bid for an artificial turf pitch in Glossop.
Any club with an issue, some good practice to share or simply a sense of community responsibility should get themselves involved by ringing High Peak Borough Council's sports development office or by e-mailing the forum at hpsportandrecforum@yahoo.co.uk