Mayor George Ferguson has this afternoon announced that Bristol has been named as the UK's European City of Sport for 2017.

The year will mark a celebration of the part sport plays in every aspect of life across Bristol’s many and diverse communities.

The new Bristol Partnership for Sport and Active Recreation has secured the prestigious award on behalf of the City.

An important theme for the year will be women and girls in sport, an area where Bristol is already showing exceptional growth and success.

A full programme of events for the year is currently being planned.

Already confirmed is the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, with the Bristol County Ground, home to Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, one of five venues to host the global competition.

The year aims to build on the success of the 'Bristol Girls Can' campaign and other projects which aim to encourage more people across the City to get involved with sport and active recreation.

European City of Sport will bring together the best of what the City is already doing to support and celebrate sport with additional events or campaigns especially for 2017.

As a curtain raiser to the year, the Mayor has dedicated £5,000 from his discretionary fund to contribute towards black and minority ethnic sport groups in the City.

Groups who will benefit from the additional funding include; the St Judes Women’s Group, Docklands Youth Centre, Bristol West Indies Phoenix Cricket Club and the Bristol Brothers football team.

Mayor George Ferguson said:

“I am absolutely delighted to be able to announce that Bristol has been awarded the title of European City of Sport 2017.

“I took an early decision to investigate the potential for sport across Bristol soon after I was elected as Mayor, inviting Colin Sexstone to chair a mayoral commission on sport. He and all commissioners did an excellent job and as a result, a city-wide sports partnership was set up to make sport work harder and do more for everyone who lives and works and studies in our city.

“As a City we already do much to encourage people to be more active and healthy, and this year of sport gives us an opportunity to build on all the good things we have already achieved.

“I particularly want to emphasise the importance of community sport, and each of the sports projects that I have decided to support with my discretionary fund is making a real contribution towards maintaining and increasing sports participation, often with great social benefit.

“I want to ensure that the benefits are spread across the City and meet my wider aim of addressing inequalities.

“A population that engages in sport, and is more active in everyday life, will help to transform our city mentally, socially and physically.”