East Suffolk Council
Sign up for the Suffolk Community Games
A special day of sport and activities will take place in Suffolk on July 9 as part of the Festival of Suffolk, and young people in East Suffolk are being invited to sign up.
The Suffolk Community Games will be held at Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre and King Edward VI School facilities, and it is hoped hundreds of local people, schoolchildren and their families will join in.
The schedule features a wide range of activities including climbing, skateboarding, circus skills, dance, BMXing and paddle-boarding. Any young person in years 5-8, who either lives or goes to school in East Suffolk can sign up via Eventbrite.
The event also hosts the Special Olympics Suffolk Athletics Competition which is part of the prestigious Special Olympics Great Britain National Summer Series of Sport - providing an excellent opportunity for athletes with an intellectual disability to perform in front of the wider Suffolk community.
David Sheepshanks, chair of the organising committee, said: "The Suffolk Community Games promises to be a very special day in our calendar with plenty of sporting activities for all family members attending to enjoy watching and more importantly, to have a go at trying.
"Putting the event on is a huge team effort and we are enormously grateful to all those involved, however none more so than Active Suffolk, who have generously taken the lead in helping us to organise the day.
"As much as a fun day, we also want young people from all backgrounds across the whole county, who do not normally get the chance to participate in such sports and events, to come and 'give it a go' and have a day to remember!"
James Payne, senior development officer at Active Suffolk said: "The event will allow children from all backgrounds across the county to try sports and activities that they may not ordinarily get the opportunity to do.
"We want the Suffolk Community Games to open new doors for young people and their families, whilst also encouraging them to find confidence, passion and enthusiasm for movement, physical activity, and sport in their everyday lives."
The event is supported by the Festival of Suffolk’s headline sponsor Tru7Group, Suffolk County Council and every district and borough council in the county.
Other organisations involved include Inspire Suffolk, Special Olympics Suffolk, The Suffolk FA, Ipswich Town Football Club Community Trust, Explore Outdoor from Abbeycroft Leisure and Skate Suffolk, to name but a few.
Events partner Vertas will also be offering transport for families where this may be a barrier.The Festival of Suffolk features a series of events that began in May and will end in September to help the county mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.