sporta is to launch an independent impact study to demonstrate the difference its trusts make to participation and engagement in sports and the arts, and what impact and outcomes this achieves.

The research will led by impact evaluation experts Helmepark, along with academic assessment by Professor Fred Coalter, Professor of Sports Policy at the University of Stirling, and support from Leisure-net Solutions, the leading customer insight provider to the active leisure sector. A group of representatives from sporta's executive committee will oversee the process alongside Simon Penhall from Helmepark and Mike Hill from Leisure-net Solutions.

Craig McAteer, Chair of sporta said: "This research project will give us an independent evidence base that we can share with our stakeholders to demonstrate the contribution that sporta trusts make to their local communities. The cuts to the public purse mean that it's more important than ever that we can prove the effectiveness of what we do across a number of areas, such as social and economic regeneration, crime reduction, health improvement and educational achievement."

Simon Penhall, Managing Director of Helmepark said: "The focus on evidence-based policy development and the ever increasing competitive market means that sporta needs to capture and demonstrate the impact that cultural and leisure services have on society.

"In capturing that evidence-base sporta also needs to ensure that the argument is underpinned by an evaluation methodology that is robust, engages all stakeholders in the process, and leads to a broad consensus behind the conclusions from the research. The research that we are undertaking aims to do this and we hope will, in turn, lead to a strengthening of sporta's and its individual members' competitive position in the market place."