Community Games bring Olympic fever to Merseyside

People in Merseyside who find themselves swept up in Olympic fever are being encouraged to participate in a nationwide programme of Community Games.

Football tournaments, samba classes and drama workshops are just some of the opportunities available free of charge to people who are inspired by the Games to leave their living rooms and get involved.

With the school holidays in full swing, organisers hope to encourage young people to venture outdoors and have some fun - but there are opportunities available for all age groups and backgrounds.

Events in Merseyside include:

• Teddy Bear’s Family Picnic at Birkenhead Park on Tuesday 31 July where activities will include fun sports, face painting and arts and crafts.



• Knowsley Flower Show at Court Hey Park in Huyton on Sunday 5 August where people will be able to visit an Olympic-themed sports village as part of the largest free horticultural show in the North West.



• Halton ‘Join In’ at Stobart Stadium in Widnes on Monday 13 August where people will be able to take part in a variety of sports, crafts or physical activities.

The Community Games will see 58,000 volunteers and two million people taking part in cultural and physical activities across the country which will bring together families and communities to create a lasting legacy of the London 2012 Games.

Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd said:

“Just as the Olympics and Paralympics showcase the strength and dedication of our national athletes, the Community Games will celebrate the strength and diversity of our local communities.

“Thousands of people across the North West now have the chance to get involved themselves and help create a lasting legacy of volunteering and social action.”

The events, which are supported by the Government’s Social Action Fund, will be run by communities themselves and are taking place in sports centres, halls, parks, streets and green spaces all over the country.

Members of the public are encouraged to find out more about the Community Games being held in their locality by visiting www.communitygames.org.uk or www.facebook.com/communitygamesuk

The brainchild of Legacy Trust UK, the Community Games were inspired by the Wenlock Olympic Games, founded by Dr William Penny Brookes in 1850, which were also the inspiration behind the modern Olympic movement.

They are run in conjunction with the YMCA and County Sports Partnership Network, and with the help of a £2million grant from the Government’s Social Action Fund, which seeks to support organisations create new social action opportunities encouraging people to give what they have, be it time, money, assets, knowledge or specific skills.