Hundreds of children across Flintshire are busy training for this year’s Festival of Youth Sport, where they will enjoy a day of sporting fun at venues across the county.
The Festival, supported by Airbus and Sport Wales, has been going from strength to strength since it started six years ago, and is the largest of its kind for schools in Wales.
This year’s event is on Wednesday 18 April, when over 2000 children will take part in the opening ceremony at Deeside College. They will then be transported to five venues across Flintshire, to take part in 13 different events.
These are: badminton, boccia, cheerleading, basketball, netball, golf, girls football, athletics, street dance, water polo, handball, gymnastics, and cricket.
Street Dance has become a firm favourite at the Festival; with over 700 children taking part, it’s this year’s biggest event – taking place in Airbus for the first time. The secondary school event starts at 10 am and the primary school event starts at 2 pm; parents, family and friends are all invited to spectate.
Schools receive free coaching for the events they are entering in the run up to the festival.
Organisers Sport Flintshire are working to ensure many of the activities continue after the festival has finished, encouraging children to go on with their selected sport.
Julie Rice-Williams, Sport Flintshire, said: “Everyone in Sport Flintshire is proud of what the Festival of Youth Sport achieves each year. It is an amazing opportunity for Flintshire children to participate in a range of activities which are not only great fun but help keep them fit and active too.”
Paul Mckinlay, Vice-President and Head of Broughton Plant, Airbus in the UK, said: “The previous festivals have been a huge success and again Airbus is delighted to be supporting this fantastic event. Airbus is keen to be a part of promoting sport in Flintshire, both through this festival and also through our commitment to the Flintshire Sports Personality Awards. As one of the biggest employers in the county we are committed to playing an active role in developing opportunities for young people within the community.
“The Festival of Youth Sport is a tremendous opportunity for young people to develop skills they will find useful in later life, whilst having fun and enjoying a wide range of sports and activities.”
Graham Williams, Regional Manager, Sport Wales, said:
“Sport Wales is pleased to support Airbus and Sport Flintshire’s Festival of Youth Sport, which is now in its sixth year of helping children get hooked on sport for life. In this important Olympic and Paralympic year we have a gilt-edged opportunity to harness the excitement of London 2012. Seeing their heroes, such as Dai Greene and Helen Jenkins, excel on the biggest stage will no doubt inspire countless young people to try out sport. It is only fitting in that case that this year’s Festival is based on an Olympic and Paralympic theme.
“We want the legacy of London 2012 to result in thousands – not hundreds – of children and young people in Flintshire to pick up a racquet, or take to the swimming pool, or join their local netball club. The Flintshire Festival of Youth Sport is a fantastic stage to channel those sporting ambitions, however large or small, and help create thriving sporting communities for our future generations of sports enthusiasts.”
