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1,300 Bristol youngsters experience Olympic spirit

Press release issued: 4 April 2011

London 2012 Olympic mascots Wenlock and Mandeville will welcome over 1,300 Bristol school pupils to this year’s Bristol Festival of School Sport and Culture [Monday 4 April to Wednesday 6 April]. The three-day event will see pupils try a range of sports, meet inspirational London 2012 hopefuls, and get the chance to win an Olympic School Spirit Trophy.

London 2012 Olympic mascots Wenlock and Mandeville will welcome over 1,300 Bristol school pupils to this year’s Bristol Festival of School Sport and Culture [Monday 4 April to Wednesday 6 April]. The three-day event will see pupils try a range of sports, meet inspirational London 2012 hopefuls, and get the chance to win an Olympic School Spirit Trophy.

Hosted by the University of Bristol with support from Healthy Schools Bristol and the city’s three School Sport Partnerships, The John Rutley Sports Fund, Bristol City Council and The West of England Sports Trust. The Festival is part of the RELAYS 2012 Inspired programme and will be attended by pupils from 18 of the city’s secondary schools.

Designed to encourage sport and healthy living, the event targets young people to actively engage them in a range of sports they would not normally have the opportunity to try, as well as the chance to experience the excitement of taking part in a major sporting event.

Over 100 of the University volunteers and coaches will be helping run the event by passing on their sports expertise in judo, baseball, handball, cheerleading, ultimate frisbee, American football, table tennis, lacrosse and futsal among others. During the event students will also have the chance to take part in juice and smoothie-making sessions and compete for their own gold, silver and bronze medals as well as the Olympic School Spirit Trophy.

The Festival, now in its third year, will also showcase some of the city’s emerging talent with an opening ceremony performance by sixth-form dancers from Oasis Academy John Williams on Monday [4 April] and a cheerleading display from students at Brislington Enterprise College on Tuesday [5 April].  Pupils will also have the chance to meet sprint London 2012 hopeful Danny Talbot (200m) on Wednesday [6 April].

Robbie Fox, from the RELAYS (Regional Education Legacy for Arts and Youth Sports) Project Team at the University, said: “The Festival forms an important part of the city's community and sports development by providing a range of opportunities for young people using the Olympic and Paralympic values as inspiration. We are extremely fortunate to have a group of University role models at the heart of this event, which reinforces our aim to encourage sports participation and nurture talent by providing young people with Olympic aspirations of their own.”

Jason Gardener MBE, Olympic champion and RELAYS Sporting Ambassador, added:  “The RELAYS Bristol Festival of School Sport is a truly fantastic event. I am inspired by the expert delivery, superb sports facilities and engagement from the pupils. Events of this quality should be available to more young people across the region.”

The Festival of School Sport and Culture will be held at the University of Bristol’s Coombe Dingle Sports Complex from 9.30 am to 3 pm from Monday 4 to Wednesday 6 April 2011. The event is funded and delivered by a partnership of the following organisations, The John Rutley Sport Fund, the University of Bristol, West of England Sport Trust (Wesport), Healthy Schools Bristol and the School Sport Partnerships comprising of Ashton Park School, St Bedes and the City Academy.

 

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