Community Games embraces newfound culture of volunteering

A first-of-its-kind nationwide campaign to leave a lasting legacy from the Olympics has captured the imagination of 58,000 volunteers who have vowed to keep up the good work of the ‘Games Makers’.

Hundreds of Community Games have already been held across the country to bring families and communities together through sporting and cultural events. With the Olympic fever set to continue with the Paralympic Games, organisers are calling on more people to get involved with events being organised in their local communities.  

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

Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, said: 

“The fantastic contribution of volunteers was central to the success of the Olympic Games. I’m delighted that thousands of people throughout the country have already shared in the spirit of the London 2012 by volunteering or taking part in Community Games – but there is still plenty more to come. With the Paralympic Games about to begin, there has never been a better time for people to log-on and find out about Community Games taking place in their area. “

It is expected that in total more than two million people will turn out for the 1,300 plus Community Games that are taking place in England this year and next.

People from all walks of life, including teachers, church leaders, retirees and even teenagers, have been signing up to organise events. 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, 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 being delivered by the YMCA and County Sports Partnership Network, and with the help of the grant from the Government’s Social Action Fund.

 ENDS

For more information please contact Donna Roddy on 0121 710 4482 or email donna@citydesksport.com.

KEY FACTS:

Community Games:

• The Community Games programme was launched in the West Midlands in 2009 and was originally funded for three years by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• Since its launch more than 750 games have already taken place involving more than 500,000 people.
• Community Games is inspired by the Wenlock Olympian Games founded by Dr William Penny Brookes in 1850 and still held annually in Much Wenlock, Shropshire. The Wenlock Olympian Games were the inspiration behind the modern Olympic and Paralympic Games when Baron Pierre du Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic movement, visited the games in 1890. The Community Games programme pays homage to a community event that inspired a global event, and now uses that global event to inspire a new raft of community events.

 Legacy Trust UK:

• Legacy Trust UK is an independent charity set up to create a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from London 2012 in communities across the UK.
• The Trust is funded by a £40 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund (£29m), Department for Culture Media and Sport (£6m) and Arts Council England (£5m), and is a Principal Funder of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival. www.legacytrustuk.org

The YMCA:

• Founded 168 years ago, the YMCA in England is made up of 121 member YMCAs working to ensure that young people have opportunities to thrive and contribute positively to their communities.
• YMCA operates in over 530 different communities in England impacting upon the lives of over 500,000 people every year.
• Every night YMCAs provide over 9,000 beds for young people. The YMCA is the largest voluntary sector provider of safe, supported accommodation for single men and women aged between 16-30 years old.
• The YMCA enables nearly 24,000 people every year to engage in education, skills and training to enable them to improve their opportunities in the job market.
• The YMCA is the largest voluntary sector provider of health and wellbeing services promoting physical activity.
• For further information please visit http://www.ymca.org.uk

The County Sports Partnership Network (CSPN):

• The County Sports Partnership Network brings together 49 County Sports Partnerships from across England, and is responsible for supporting the delivery of national sports policy at a local level by shaping it to the needs of local communities.
• The CSPN contributes to the health of the nation by helping local people lead healthier, active livesThe CSPN brings together the knowledge and expertise of a range of local delivery partners – including local authorities, clubs and schools – which enables it to use resources in the most efficient way possible to deliver sport in local communities.