A year end message from Dr Sherry Kothari, Chair of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park

As 2024 comes to a close, I’m pleased to reflect on my first year as Chair of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. Since joining in March, it’s been a pleasure to see the many shared achievements in health innovation, sporting excellence, economic development and community engagement. Through strong partnerships and collaborations, we continue to build a legacy that is making a significant contribution to the region and supporting key government missions in health, opportunity and economic growth.

Innovation in health

The Park has strengthened its reputation as a hub for innovation in health, with several impactful initiatives.

In February, the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub announced investment in health tech research and training by Google, to help tackle health inequalities in the region. In September it announced £500,000 seed funding to support its first cohort of applications focusing on key areas where new digital health tools could have a meaningful impact on the region’s health outcomes.

In May, the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre completed its third Wellbeing Accelerator, supporting 10 SMEs through the programme which is recognised as market-leading in terms of the breadth of support and potential for impact.

In October, ahead of the National Centre for Child Health Technology being built in 2025, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust launched its inaugural Child Health Tech accelerator. In partnership with UP Ventures and Par Equity, the aim of the accelerator is to create a healthier future for children and young people through the introduction of innovative new health tech solutions.

Active Together, another partnership project based at the Park, received £4million funding in May to expand its pioneering exercise, nutrition and wellbeing cancer support service across South Yorkshire. The service, designed by the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre and delivered by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has shown an overall 10% improvement in survival for people with bowel, lung and upper gastrointestinal cancers.

Sporting Excellence

We continue to inspire the next generation of athletes whilst also supporting elite talent.

In January, B Braun Sheffield Sharks and Sheffield Hatters launched a new basketball academy in collaboration with UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park providing an elite development pathway into the top tier of professional basketball, the only one of its kind in the Yorkshire region.

Also in January, Table Tennis England announced the relocation of its elite training centre to the English Institute of Sport Sheffield, delivering a world-class training environment, supported by the UK Sports Institute, and more recently signing a new partnership agreement with Sheffield Hallam University that includes sport science consultancy, research and innovation, and student placements.

In April, Ice Hockey UK established its national headquarters at the Park and has since created a shared services agreement with British Ice Skating (also based at the Park) and brought the Women’s Olympic Qualifiers to iceSheffield this month.

In November, South Yorkshire’s Mayor hosted a civic reception at Canon Medical Arena, celebrating the sporting success of South Yorkshire’s athletes at the 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games and the 2023 Special Olympics.

Economic Development

Having already attracted over £100 million in public and private sector funding, Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park continues to be a key asset for economic development and growth in South Yorkshire.

In October, we attended Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber’s ‘YHealth for Growth’ event at the House of Commons, where the Park was showcased alongside other pioneering work taking place to promote the role of health in driving economic and inclusive growth. Park projects, including the National Centre for Child Health Technology and the National Centre of Excellence for Food Engineering, were highlighted for their role in addressing the health and economic challenges facing the region.

In September, our development partner Scarborough Group International, announced a partnership with Sheffield Technology Parks to focus on building a supportive and thriving business community at Landing Pad, a dedicated incubation centre for spin-outs, start-ups and scale-ups.

Earlier this year Landing Pad welcomed the relocation of Medilink North and UKNEQAS, both contributing to the development of the health and wellbeing innovation ecosystem at the Park.

In 2025 Scarborough Group International will submit planning applications for the next major phase of development at the Park.

Community Engagement

Community initiatives have been a cornerstone of our efforts this year. The impact the Park has on the local community is an important aspect of the Olympic legacy and the reason we work hard to connect and collaborate with Park partners and local community organisations.

In June, we launched our ‘Building a Legacy’ report, offering an insight into the community engagement activity taking place with partners across the Park, and highlighting the positive impacts made to date and our commitment to building an even greater legacy in the future.

Also in June, we hosted the third annual ‘Olympic Legacy in Action’ community day, bringing over 3,000 people to the Park to enjoy free sports taster sessions and other activities, made possible by the collaboration and commitment of over 40 partner organisations.

In October, our first Legacy Fund donor report was published – a celebration of our grant giving fund which supports community organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of local people. The fund has already distributed almost £30,000 ensuring the benefits of the Park reach every corner of the community and create a lasting legacy.

Looking to the Future

The successes of 2024 reflect the hard work of our partners, the dedication of our teams, and the passion of our community.

As we look to 2025, we are excited to continue expanding the Park’s reach, ensuring that South Yorkshire remains a global leader in research and innovation for sport, health and wellbeing.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this remarkable year, I look forward to your continued support and working with you – together, we are shaping a brighter, healthier future for all.