MORE than 1,000 school children descended on Winchester for the annual Hampshire School Games.
The event, which has been running for more than 20 years, was held on Thursday, June 20 at the Winchester Sport and Leisure Park.
It brought 1,100 pupils from 108 schools together from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Children between the ages of eight and 11 took part. The event hopes to inspire young people to be physically active for life by offering positive experiences across a range of activities.
The latest active lives data for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight shows that more than half of our young people are not active enough. Some 50.2 per cent are not meeting the guidelines for young people between the ages of five and 18 which recommends an average of 60 minutes of moderate activity a day.
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The school games help to reframe activity for the young people. It’s about getting active and removing a competition element, so the focus remains on having fun.
Taking inspiration from the upcoming Olympics, the day started with a parade lap before the children took part in some of the 38 activities on offer. Activities ranged from the more traditional hockey and football to circus skills, climbing, skateboarding and Kinball.
The event is organised annually by Energise Me, in collaboration with Hampshire School Games organisers. It is supported by more than 200 volunteers, including students from local colleges and national sporting bodies. The event is funded by National Lottery funding through Sport England.
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