Sports team scores in quest for success

The Sports Development Team in Limavady Borough Council is celebrating after achieving Quest accreditation for the second time in four years and for being the only Quest accredited Sports Development Team in all of Northern Ireland.
By Staff Reporter
Published 19th Jul 2014, 08:49 BST
Ollie Mullan, Sports Development Officer is pictured receiving the Quest plaque from Barry Toorish, Leisure Services Manager. Also pictured is, (l-r): Mark Cummings, Caretaker, Joe Doherty, IFA Grass Roots Development Officer, Gerald Gillan and Nicola Taylor, Active Communities Coaches and Richard Ferris, Gaelic Games Development Officer.Ollie Mullan, Sports Development Officer is pictured receiving the Quest plaque from Barry Toorish, Leisure Services Manager. Also pictured is, (l-r): Mark Cummings, Caretaker, Joe Doherty, IFA Grass Roots Development Officer, Gerald Gillan and Nicola Taylor, Active Communities Coaches and Richard Ferris, Gaelic Games Development Officer.
Ollie Mullan, Sports Development Officer is pictured receiving the Quest plaque from Barry Toorish, Leisure Services Manager. Also pictured is, (l-r): Mark Cummings, Caretaker, Joe Doherty, IFA Grass Roots Development Officer, Gerald Gillan and Nicola Taylor, Active Communities Coaches and Richard Ferris, Gaelic Games Development Officer.

Owned by the four Sports Councils in the UK, Quest is the UK Quality Scheme for Sport and Leisure. It is a tool for continuous improvement, designed primarily for the management of leisure facilities and Sport Development teams.

The scheme defines industry standards and good practice and encourages ongoing development and innovation.

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Paul Brivao, a former Director in Sport England and a Commercial Director and Business Development Director with a leading leisure trust in England, carried out the two-day assessment of the Scroggy Road based team.

Paul is a highly experienced UK based sport development consultant who has assessed over 100 sports development teams right across the England, Scotland and Wales.

Mr Brivao was very impressed by the commitment of the team, consisting of Ollie Mullan, Joe Doherty, Nicola Taylor, Richard Ferris and Gerald Gillan.

He commented: “This team is amongst the most enthusiastic sports development teams I have ever met. Team members are passionate and committed to their individual and collective roles. They are punching way above their weight with some excellent innovative ideas and, with a little bit more work, I have no doubt they could achieve an excellent banding.”

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Leisure Services Manager, Mr Barry Toorish commented: “Achieving Quest status for the second time is an endorsement of Ollie and his team’s commitment in trying to ensure that Sport Development in Limavady provides the best sporting opportunities and experience to local communities and key partners against industry best practice standards.

“To come under the scrutiny and expertise of Paul Brivao is something to be relished and his feedback is invaluable. Paul has communicated to me how impressed he was with the approach, delivery and standard of the Sport Development team in Limavady under Ollie Mullan’s leadership. I warmly congratulate Ollie, Richard, Joe, Gerald and Nicola.”

Related topics:QuestNorthern Ireland