The Festival, which took place at three venues across the city, Clifton College Sports Ground, the Action Indoor Sports Centre and the City Academy Bristol, was held to provide primary pupils with a similar opportunity given to secondary pupils who took part in the Bristol Secondary Festival of School Sport.
Participants were given the chance to try 22 different sports including ultimate frisbee, cycling, street dance, golf extreme, tag rugby, flag football. Coaches and representatives from national governing bodies and local sports clubs led each sport, supported by volunteers from local secondary schools, the University of Bristol and the Youth Sport Trust’s Young Event Volunteer Project.
The event was funded and delivered by a partnership of the following organisations, West of England Sport Trust (Wesport), the University of Bristol, The John Rutley Sport Fund, Bristol City Council and the School Sport Partnerships: Ashton Park, City Academy and Portway. Additional support from Harris Sports ensured that each participant received a souvenir t-shirt to reward their achievements.
Karen Harvey, Community Sport Development Manager at the University of Bristol, said: "I'm delighted the successful Bristol Festival of School Sport and Culture has been a catalyst for this primary school event. The University and John Rutley Sport Fund are always keen to work with partners to engage young people in sport, particularly primary school children whose opportunities to try different sports and activities are limited. We hope this event gave them a chance to enjoy playing as a team, working alongside each other to develop new skills and most of all have fun."
Lee Ward, Competition Manager at Wesport, said: “With the secondary school Bristol Festival of Sport and Culture now well established and supported by schools it is important that we give primary school children a similar opportunity; creating a sporting legacy across the City. The Festival provides a unique opportunity for these children who do not normally get the opportunity to represent their school sports teams to participate in a wide range of sports competitions and receive high-quality coaching. It is hoped that this experience and the link with the Bristol City Council’s Sports Unlimited programme will result in more children taking part in sport outside of school.”