Performing Arts Students Support Staffordshire School Games Festival

After a 3-year break, the County School Games Summer Festival came back to Keele University on Friday 24 June 2022.

This celebration of all things active was the culmination of a year’s worth of work by Together Active and the team of School Games Organisers who work across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

Around 1000 young people and 300 schools attended on the day from across the county, with ages ranging from 7 to 15. The County finals for Cross Country, Dodgeball and Rounders all took place on the day, and our winners celebrated with badminton Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist Jenny Wallwork and Birmingham Commonwealth Games mascot Perry the Bull.

The development of School Games has seen it move in a new direction, becoming a celebration of physical activity and sport for pupils that provides opportunities for all young people regardless of their experience, talent or ability.

Supporting this, there were also Sport4All inclusive events and Quidditch for young people that may not be engaged by competitive opportunities or who may not have had the chance to represent their school before.

In addition to the usual School Games activities, the event has received funding to support the Commonwealth Games legacy. Working with groups of inactive young people through a youth consultation process, their feedback was used to select the activities for taster sessions on the day, giving them the opportunity to try out activities they would otherwise not be able to.

Helping to ensure the event ran smoothly were a committed team of young volunteers from Newcastle-Under-Lyme College, Stoke on Trent College, Stoke Sixth Form College and Blessed Robert Sutton Catholic Voluntary Academy. Helping with the officiating and general event management, they gained a useful insight into running a large festival while providing the vital workforce needed for such an event.

Several local VIPs were in attendance, including Newcastle-Under-Lyme MP Aaron Bell and Youth Sport Trust COO Will Roberts.

The event was reported on by a team of students from Ormiston Horizon Academy in Tunstall, who were developing their journalistic skills by interviewing the VIPs in attendance as well as the winning teams. The Trentham Academy Dancers led the opening ceremony and students from NSCG Newcastle College compèred the day.

Youth Sport Trust COO Will Roberts commented: “Supporting young people to fall in love with being physically active is incredibly important. The School Games Summer Festivals across England provide an opportunity to celebrate sport and play, championing the team building, sense of belonging, confidence-boosting and life affirming benefits these young people enjoy. I’m delighted that after two long years off due to COVID, the Games here in Staffordshire are back bigger and better than ever before.”

Together Active acting CEO Jane Kracke added: “We have worked really closely with the School Games Organisers to deliver a truly special event. We’ve really missed it over the last couple of years, and we know the young people have too. There has been a greater focus on the additional benefits of physical activity and sport, particularly when improving and strengthening mental health, and now that message is more important than ever. We’re so proud of everyone who has taken part.”