Young people across Cumbria will showcase their talent in a county-wide festival of sport next week. The multi-sport festival will be held in Carlisle with 650 children from schools across Cumbria competing in nine different sports to become the County Champions. The competitions take place at various sports sites in the city on Wednesday 10th July.
The Sands Centre in Carlisle provides a focal point for the competitions which re-enforces the experience of Olympic and Paralympic Games complete with an Opening and Closing Ceremony. Athlete’s villages are set up at various sites across the City for the competitions. Children will be joined by a range of local sports stars, who act as Sporting Ambassadors for the day. They will spend the day out and about at the different sites during the day, talking to children and teachers. Sporting Ambassadors this year include:Simon Lawson, from Maryport, who represented Team GB in the Marathon at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, and also won Bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia
Beth Lishman, from Cockermouth current Deaflympics Captain representing Team GB in the Hammer event at the 2019 European Masters Athletics
Ella Cooper-Holmes, from Wigton who won Gold in para-swimming for Team England in the 2018 CPISRA World Games.
The Finals are a culmination of a year of activity in schools. This year, the local organisers held two different curricular competitions that contribute to engagement and achievement in different subjects and across the school. The first competition was to ‘Design a Flag’ based on the School Games values of Respect,
Teamwork, Passion, Self-Belief, Honesty and Determination. Each district was given a different Value and the six winners of this competition will be opening the School Games as official flag bearers.
The winners are:
- William, aged 10 from St Patrick’s School in Workington
- Ava, aged 5 from Cumwhinton School, in Carlisle
- Daniel, aged 13 from Millom School
- Amelia, aged 10 from Shap School
- Orna, aged 9, from Lindal & Marton School, in Lindal-in-Furness
- Rachel, aged 14 from Sandgate School, in Kendal
The second competition was inspired by the Olympic oath and participants were asked to write an Oath for the School Games, the winners were Evie, aged 13 from Newman School, Carlisle and Harrison aged 11 from Lindale School in Grange-over-Sands.
Richard Rose Central Academy’s Dance Group, ‘Dance Co’, will be show-casing their moves in a spectacular finale, prior to the results as part of an exciting Closing Ceremony.
Support for this year’s events has come from Cumberland Building Society.
Becky Towns of The Cumberland said: “Every year we support lots of activities that provide opportunities for children that will benefit their physical, mental and social wellbeing. We’re proud to be supporting the Games, and delighted to be able to work with the team from Active Cumbria again. Their commitment to developing services which address inactivity in a positive and engaging way is inspiring and, importantly, delivers great improvements to health and wellbeing for people within our local communities.”
Organised by Active Cumbria one of 43 Active Partnerships across England and part of Cumbria County Councils Public Health Team, the games are delivered in partnership with School Games Organisers, schools, clubs, national governing bodies of sport and local partners.
In addition to the competitors, 113 young people from across Cumbria have been trained in various roles to lead and officiate at the Cumbria School Games Finals.
Cllr Sue Sanderson Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning, Cumbria County Council said: “The Cumbria School Games finals are always a great event, it’s fantastic to see children from across the county getting involved in a variety of Sports and to compete in a fun and supportive environment. The Games also gives young people opportunity to try different roles within sport, whether it is as a player or referee, the programme provides excellent opportunities for all young people to make a positive and active contribution to their school.”
Special guests representing local councils and the event sponsors have been invited to the event. Local sponsors supporting this year’s county events are the Cumberland Building Society, GLL and BBC Radio Cumbria.
