Nowadays, virtually every strategy or initiative, be it for the environment, health, planning, funding, economic regeneration, sport or education, places heavy emphasis on "partnership working" and "joined up thinking".

This makes sense, because common needs and resources can be met and provided more effectively if people and organisations communicate and co-operate.

Such co-operation need not cost much in time or resources, yet it is remarkable how rarely, in practice, it truly happens.

So can a true partnership, especially between such diverse sectors as education, health, the voluntary sector and the private sector, really work?

The answer is "yes", if it evolves at grass-roots level and involves a common aim that is shared by the constituent partners.

The sportKeighley partnership, with the simple aim of putting Keighley firmly and positively on the map by promoting opportunities for sport and physical activity for everyone in the town, is an example.

The sportKeighley concept consists of a non-funded, non-constituted partnership of all key sectors involved in sport and physical recreation in Keighley and District.

All of the sectors are branded with the "sportK" identity: sportKommunity, sportsKools, sportKlubs, sportKouncil, sportKare, sportKollege and sportKorporate.

The aim is to ensure that the logo, especially the capital red "K", creates a positive, inclusive and recognisable identity for Keighley both within and outside the town.

A key activity of the partnership is one of communication, so that partners, be they schools, companies, health trusts, local government, charities, community groups or sports clubs, can understand and be aware of the activities of the others.

Thus sportKeighley, through its diverse partners, is potentially representative of virtually everyone who lives in, plays in, works in and/or visits the town. The idea is that everyone should be able to identify opportunities in terms of sport and physical activity, no matter who they are, where they live, how old they are or what level of ability they possess.

What has sportKeighley achieved so far? Quite a lot, but chiefly an initial recognition of Keighley (and the sportK logo) on a local, regional and national level (the Sports Minister is visiting the town in July).

There is also the opportunity, via a newly produced Physical Activity Action Plan (PAAP), to be a bold, innovative and integral part of the evolving regeneration of Keighley, working with the new Keighley & District Regeneration Alliance (KADRA) and many other successful organisations and partnerships in the town.

There is more to come and much more to do: the PAAP describes some of the large- and small-scale projects in the pipeline.

Details of sportKeighley, its regular meetings and the PAAP, can be found at www.sportkeighley.com.

Copies of the PAAP will be available at the annual sportKarnival celebration on Sunday, when a whole variety of activities and sportKeighley partners will be on display. Come down, see what is going on, and help make sure that the red "K" is recognised as a symbol of all that is positive about Keighley.