The programme will now be based at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield in conjunction with the British Handball Association headquarters in Manchester.

 

Staff based in the city will include the newly-appointed programme manager Lorraine Brown, administrator Laura Ross and men’s High Performance Coach Bill Bailey.

 

Once appointed, a women’s high performance coach and head coach will also be based there.

 

Brown said: “British Handball has entered a very exciting period that will, for the first time, allow our athletes to train, develop and compete in a full time high performance team environment.

 

"Everyone is extremely positive about the move to Sheffield. The facilities are excellent.

 

“With the addition of new resources from UK Sport we can finally look to realise our ambition of competing at the highest Olympic and international level and our move to Sheffield and the English Institute of Sport is an important part of that development plan.

 

"London 2012 is a great opportunity for handball to be noticed by the wider public in the UK and I hope to build a High Performance Unit in Sheffield that produces GB performances that are 'credible' in 2012 and beyond.”

 

The move follows the relocation of several international level sports sides and governing bodies to the city including the Amateur Boxing Association, the British Volleyball Association and the men’s and women’s GB basketball squads.

 

Wayne Coyle, member of the Sheffield 2012 Steering Group whose campaign Lighting the Flame aims to take advantage of opportunities surrounding 2012, said: “Sheffield can play a major part in an exciting challenge of establishing and developing a world class programme for handball.

 

"The city hopes it can move forward to develop an elite handball programme that will help bring through a new and successful generation of future Olympians for 2012 but also help raise the profile of the sport as a whole.”

 

John Mothersole, Sheffield City Council's executive director of development, environment and leisure added: “It is hugely encouraging to see another national sports organisation make a commitment to using the world class facilities here in Sheffield. 

 

"I am delighted to welcome the new handball programme to the city."