University News Last updated 15 February 2013
One of the leading figures of Sport England – the government agency responsible for grass roots sport – is set to receive an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University next week.
Jennie Price, a barrister by training, has held the position of Chief Executive at Sport England since April 2007 and had successfully implemented a new strategic approach which has led to record numbers of adults playing sport regularly. Post-London 2012 the challenge is to maintain that momentum, with an ambitious £1bn programme ‘A Sporting Habit for Life.’ Jennie launched this programme with the then Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt in January 2012, and is leading its implementation, which has a strong emphasis on sport in higher and further education, and in helping more people with disabilities play sport regularly.
Prior to her role at Sport England, Jennie was the founding Chief Executive of Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP); an organisation that was established by the Government in 2000 to help improve the UK’s recycling performance and reduce waste.
Jennie oversaw what has been described as one of the most successful ever environmental communication campaigns; ‘Recycle Now’, and domestic recycling rates more than doubled during her seven years at WRAP. Before heading WRAP, Jennie spent 17 years in the construction industry, first as a lawyer and then as Chief Executive of the Major Contractors Group and the Construction Confederation, two of the leading representative bodies for the UK construction industry.
Jennie’s business achievements have not gone unnoticed and she has previously been appointed as a Visiting Fellow at the Cranfield School of Management, Honorary Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and has recently become a Trustee of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
She will receive the award on Monday 18 February at the Awards Congregation ceremony which will celebrate the achievements of students graduating from the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences.