Here's Bryn Evans, a development officer for Gwynedd County Council, to explain the various initiatives out there to encourage you to get sporty.

"There are a few schemes which encourage young people to get more active in the area.

The Community Chest
One example is the lottery-funded Community Chest. Members of the community are welcome to make an application for funding to help a sporting initiative to one of the Community Chest committees in Conwy, Gwynedd and Anglesey.

For further information, contact me or Elwyn Jones on 01758 704067.

The North Wales Golden Card Scheme
This is the scheme which allows any young person who's represented North Wales at a sport to use any of the area's leisure facilities for nothing. There are a few schemes which encourage young people to get more active in the area. We in Gwynedd also run a similar scheme for those who've taken part in sports at a county level.

There are a few schemes which encourage young people to get more active in the area.

Dragon Sport
The aim of this programme is to encourage children to take part in sport in a safe environment, with coaching of a high standard, especially for those who are a little daunted by leisure centres. The aim is to have fun and to have a great time. There are a few schemes which encourage young people to get more active in the area.

This scheme is run by the Sports Council for Wales and the three local authorities. Any primary school in the area can ask for support in setting up an after-school sports club for children between the ages of seven and eleven.

A development officer will work with the school to set up the club, providing a bag of equipment worth £250 and help with training coaches.

The clubs are run by teachers, parents and other volunteers. Everyone involved will be given general training in taking a sports session in a safe, fun environment and will then get the opportunity to gain further training in specific sports.

Each school can get bags of equipment for two different sports for nothing, but must pay £20 of the cost for equipment for further sports.

The sports currently supported through the scheme are football, rugby, netball, hockey, tennis and cricket.

80% of schools in Gwynedd have taken up the scheme. We aim to extend it to include sports clubs in the future."

For more information on this scheme, contact