A report for Sport England from the Leisure Industries Research Centre, Sheffield, July 2003, appendix This report builds on the base established by the Sports Council in 1995 with the publication of Valuing Volunteers in UK Sport (Sports Council 1996). The 1996 study was the first comprehensive investigation of the scale and value of volunteering in UK sport, conducted by the Leisure Industries Research Centre (LIRC) in Sheffield. In response to the findings of the Valuing Volunteers research, Sport England provided support for volunteers through the Volunteer Investment Programme (VIP). VIP currently has over 11,500 members in its network, a testimony to the interest in support structures for volunteers.