My colleague Charlie Pyatt, who is Partnership Development Manager for the Leeds School Sports Partnership ( West ) sent me this e-mail celabrating some of the outstanding work colleagues have been doing...

"Dear Chris, All the schools listed have participated fully in the work of the partnership and they provide an exciting and motivating PE and School Sport programme for their pupils. I would like to highlight one particular area for each school where their work has been outstanding.

• Five Lanes- PLT- Fiona Lynch. Fiona organises an excellent Sport , Health and Activity week each year with a wide variety of partners and providers coming into the school to work with young people.
• Castleton- PLT Graham Jones. Graham has developed an outstanding programme of OAA and residentials which deliver not only PE outcomes but develop the pupils in so many ways and help them to achieve.
• Hollybush- PLT Katie Ibbotson. The school has developed an excellent school club link with Bramley Pheonix FC which greatly benefits both the school, the club and the community.
• St Bart's- PLT Dave Needham. The now famous St Bart's U11 girls football competition run each Summer at JCCS. There are regularly around 70 - 80 schools entering, the tournament is one the sporting highlights of the year. An excellent event which take a fantastic amount of time and commitment from the school.
• Swallow Hill Community College- School Sports Coordinator- Becky Milner. Becky has developed an outstanding programme to develop young sports leaders. She also leads the Addistar programme which brings together Young Ambassadors from all High Schools in the West to lead the work in involving young people in the build up to the 2012 Olympics.

As I am sure you will know the funding for the School Sport Partnership has been withdrawn but we are working hard to ensure the excellent work of our colleagues within the partnership will not be lost. Thank you very much for all your support on numerous occasions during my 8 years as Partnership Development Manager and please accept my very best wishes for the future. Charlie."

It has been a privilege to work with Charlie and his colleagues who have been doing brilliant things and releasing an energy and magic that we simply can't afford to lose. As we approach the London Olympics, it seems strange that we should be disconnecting the funding that will secure the legacy of the games. I know Charlie and everyone who is passionate about sport will work even harder to ensure that this fantastic work continues... whatever it takes!
Chris