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Quality of Life: A VISION FOR THE UK
How to promote a vigorous society, starting at Grass roots level

Reasons for the vision:

• The country must build on its minimal grass roots culture of arts and sport participation
• Teachers were once inspired, keen and free to stay behind after school
• After various pay deals and vast time spent form-filling, teachers’ energy and desire to lead extra-curriculum activities has sadly diminished
• Sport and arts participation is proven to help educational attainment, reduce juvenile crime, the need for drugs, excess alcohol consumption, and is an excellent tool to reach into the least accessible communities
• Being involved in a team or an artistic activity brings with it responsibility, social development and self-confidence
• Because of lack of precedent, no one has the vision to see the whole nation culturally and physically active, so the status quo never budges
• High publicity, short-term programmes need to be financially sustainable and rolled out on a large scale for a life-time, not for empty six-month wonders
• National Lottery distributors have built up large surplus funds, over L3.6 billion at times, with no incentive to reduce them; many monthly reserves never change
• The Lottery has stimulated giving to charities, charitable giving has doubled since the Lottery began. They need no more lottery help
• Due to a lack of vision and expertise in the state structure, Treasury and Cabinet priorities need to be inspired from the top, with permanent sports and arts professionals, rather than using occasional consultants. Much arts and creativity effect on daily life is difficult to measure
• This is why the Treasury and Cabinet need passionate leaders about grass roots not the status quo.
• There is little acceptance of the value of economic multipliers on arts and sports activities of all types
• Analysis shows  the Olympic Games costs to be mainly for property developers and consultants, for an event in five years’ time; little for arts and sports participation now
• No Olympic games have ever raised sustained levels of participation, the only human legacy will be in grass roots activities and must start immediately
• Current National Lottery system is reactive, without profile and requiring large amounts of bureaucracy, making it difficult to give the Lottery a “for all” image

 

Quality of Life: A NATION TRANSFORMED

The vision:

• Sport and culture at the heart of a healthy and positive active community which excludes no one
• A vision from Treasury, where permanent sports and arts specialists have a senior rank together with economists, permanently changing priorities, instead of short-term budget revisions
• A simple clear vision making the National Lottery “sport and culture for all”
• The NLDF becomes an independent charitable foundation for this purpose
• Use the Lottery publicity (estimated by Branson to be worth L2 billion a year) to foster the participation, with highly professional programming every week
• By developing these prime-time television slots (similar to the Lloyd Webber ‘Any Dream will do’) create visible competition nationwide in all sports and arts activities in all age groups, oldies included
• This makes the Lottery seem a real friend to the people, because everyone can see how it affects their lives in their own street, not just on the media
• This increases Lottery revenue and public support
• This long-term plan avoids the loss of interest and focus which comes from changes in politicians or civil service personnel, and makes the regular promotion  professionally handled, i.e. much cheaper for the DCMS
• Fixing this image early on, so that future political or behind-the scenes manipulation is impossible is the key to a long-lasting strategy and a new, acceptable public climate, reducing obesity and many ill health problems
• If the current Lottery tax of 12% was put into the NLDF; greater prizes and distribution would increase the economic multipliers on arts and sports
• Because the subject will be prevalent in society, programmes from current affairs to soap operas will cover and develop these important issues
• Provide schools with the ability and resources so that during extended school hours the opportunities to participate in sport and artistic activities are available to all pupils in every school
• Create other facilities to cater for the demand which will increase immensely from the cultural exposure
• Britain which has 5 opera houses could be like Germany and have 150, where also orchestral concerts are sold out
• Facilities for sport and arts should not be more than 20 minutes travelling time away for anyone, so that daily use is easy.
• Increase travel facilities, such as special school buses, so that regular attendance is logical and cheap
• Reverse the selling off of playing fields; consider increasing DCMS budget for this until it reaches L7 billion, checking the multiplier effect as it goes
• There should not be any financial, class or stereotyping barriers