Youth Games PLUS a great success - June 10 - Press Releases - LIVING SPORT

Youth Games PLUS a great success - June 10

Over 600 young people with some impairment or additional need from 20 local schools battled it out for sporting honours on Friday 11th June at the Youth Games PLUS 2010 at One Leisure St Ives Outdoor.

The Games were extra special this year as Danny Crates, Paralympic Athletics Champion, opened the Games by helping the schools, each representing a past Olympic Games host city, hold the Olympic torch aloft, before competing in Athletics, Boccia, Cricket, Netball and Tag Rugby.

Danny said, ‘I’m delighted to be asked to attend the Youth Games Plus. It’s fantastic to see a sporting event that gives participants with disabilities the chance to not only try many sporting activities, but also compete against each other on a county level. I saw some great competition today and hopefully some Paralympians of the future.’

Impington Village College swept the board winning all three Boccia competitions and Highfield School from Ely was runner up in both Key Stage 2 and 3 competitions. Thomas Clarkson Community College in Wisbech, who were attending their first Games, was runner up in the older Key Stage 4 and 5 Competition.

Castle School of Cambridge was victorious in the Tag Rugby and the Key Stage 4 and 5 Cricket. Harbour School, based in Wilburton, came out on top in the Key Stage 2 and 3 Cricket denying Castle a clean sweep.

Marshfields School in Peterborough was successful in the Netball with last year’s winners Hinchingbrooke having to settle for the runners up spot. Hinchingbrooke were also runners up in the Tag Rugby.

In Athletics there were individual medallists from Wisbech’s Meadowgate School, Granta School, Spring Common School of Huntingdon and Phoenix School, Marshfields School and Matley Primary School all from Peterborough.

The Games also included a Taster Village where over 140 young people tried taster sessions in Archery, Climbing Wall, supplied by Grafham Water Centre, with Table Cricket, New Age Kurling, Sensory Games, Tri Golf, Mini Tennis and Racquet skills.

The Games, organised by LIVING SPORT on behalf of the County Disability Sports Forum, are supported by the Tesco Charity Trust, Cambridge Building Society, Donarbon, John Lewis Partnership, Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, Perkins Engines and Cambridgeshire County Council.

Rebecca Gilbertson, from LIVING SPORT said, ‘This year’s Youth Games PLUS was without a doubt the best Games yet, it was great to see all the competitions happening and there was a great atmosphere with the record number of schools all having a brilliant time.”

For more information, images and interviews, contact Rebecca Gilbertson, Events Coordinator, on 01487 849929 and Rebecca.Gilbertson@livingsport.co.uk  or Amanda Callard, Development Manager, on 01487 849925 or amanda.callard@livingsport.co.uk.

Notes to Editors:

Youth Games PLUS gives students with disabilities or additional needs a chance to compete against other students with similar needs at county level in their chosen sport, as well as having fun and enjoying taking part in sport. The Games were open to anybody who is a pupil within a school in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and has a disability or additional needs (physical, sensory or learning). The Games took place between 10.00 – 14.00 on Friday 11 June at One Leisure St Ives Outdoor centre.

The County Disability Sports Forum is a group of representatives from Local Authorities, Schools, and Disability organization whose aim is: ‘To foster and promote provision of sporting and active recreation opportunities for people with disabilities and special needs within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. To support and assist people with disabilities by enhancing opportunities to participate, organise, volunteer, coach and develop them through sport. To support events, bring key groups and partners together across the county’.

LIVING SPORT is the County Sports Partnership for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. It is one of 49 in the country, promoting and encouraging sports and physical activity at all levels across all age groups. We want more people to take part in sport and physical activity and LIVING SPORT’s vision is “active, healthy, successful communities where everyone can play, achieve and enjoy”. Our aim is to work with a wide range of individuals and organisations involved in sport, bringing them together to form one powerful single voice for sport in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

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