Pupils from primary and secondary schools across the county competed in a range of sports during the Essex Special Summer School Games. The Games are organised by the Multi-Schools Council in collaboration with Active Essex, the County Sports Partnership, to provide an inclusive event designed for students with special needs or disabilities.
This year, the games were hosted at Basildon Sporting Village and featured the largest variety of sport and activities since the games were launched three years ago.
Over 250 children took part from 16 schools across Essex with students of all ages invited to participate in a number of sports and activities including athletics, new age Kurling, wheelchair basketball and handball. The event was also attended by several Essex All Together Ambassadors.
Charlie, Colchester-based All Together Ambassador said;
“These games were created to give people the opportunity to show themselves as well as others of what they are capable of when given the chance.”
Each activity was led by expert coaches and supported by young leaders from Mistley Norman School, Rolph Primary School and James Hornsby School; who took part in a training activity day back in May to build their team-leading skills and prepare for the games.
Azeem Akhtar, Chair of Active Essex said;
“This event has gone from strength to strength and it has been very exciting to see young people with special educational needs and disabilities across the county having the opportunity to participate in such a wide variety of sports, make new friends and have some fun.”
Further to the sporting activity, aspiring media students from Market Field School filmed activities on the day and interviewed visitors and participants for a short film to promote the event and key activities of the Multi-Schools Council.
Cllr Ray Gooding, Essex County Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for Sport and Physical Activity said;
“We are thrilled to have hosted another fantastically fun Special School Games enabling children to compete and enjoy a range of sporting activities and hopefully inspire a future generation of Paralympians in Essex.”
To find out more about the Essex Special Summer School Games visit www.activeessex.org
or www.multischoolscouncil.org.uk.
ENDS
Notes to editors
For any further questions please contact Joe Tye from Genesis PR on joe.tye@genesispr.co.uk , 01473 326436.
T: @ActiveEssex
F: @ActiveEssex
About the Multi-Schools Council
The multi-schools council is open to all schools and is committed to breaking down any negative perceptions towards people with a disability or a special educational need. It is a council, governed by students and teachers across 18 Schools in Essex. http://www.multischoolscouncil.org.uk/
About Active Essex
- Active Essex is the Sport and Physical Activity Partnership for Greater Essex. It was formed in 2013 and continues to deliver a lasting legacy to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. See www.activeessex.org.
- To date, through its partnership with Essex County Council and Sport England, Active Essex has encouraged and supported more than 600,000 people to take part in sport and physical activity to improve their health, wellbeing and individual achievement.
- The Olympic legacy has also translated into success for the Basildon Sporting Village and for Hadleigh Park, which hosted the London 2012 Olympic mountain-biking competition.
- Active Essex has developed Hadleigh Park into a popular sports and leisure destination for children and families, as well as a world class cycling venue hosting international events. Hadleigh Park address is Chapel Lane, Hadleigh SS7 2PP.
See www.hadleigh-park.co.uk
Jacqueline French
Account Director
Genesis PR
T: 01473 326409
M: 07950 251211
E: Jacqueline.french@genesispr.co.uk
W: www.genesispr.co.uk
A: Orwell Landing, The Strand, Ipswich IP2 8NJ
The County Sports Partnership Network is a company registered in England and