London 2012 Roadshow to join in Get Active Northumberland Day

Local children enjoying StreetGames activities

As part of this year’s tour of the UK, the London 2012 Roadshow is to attend Cramlington’s Get Active Northumberland Day on 19^th July, an event that also promotes the Roadshow’s aim to encourage people to take up sport. Northumberland Sport would encourage everyone to therefore visit and take part in this fun packed day.

Officially kicked-off on 15 June in Greenwich, London, the Roadshow will join in the festivities at the Cramlington event, which are based on Street Games, a scheme specifically organised to help and support young people from deprived areas get more active.

Complementing the event’s activities, this year’s Roadshow has selected a ‘Join In’ theme and is promoting coaching and encouraging sports participation, especially among young people. It will offer taster sessions in a range of traditional and new sports for people to try, while advisors from Sport England North East and County Sports Partnership, Northumberland Sport, will also be on hand to encourage visitors to find out more about local sporting clubs and facilities.

The Roadshow will also contain a National Lottery ‘Dream Statistics’ zone to enable visitors to see how their statistics – including height, weight and muscle power – might make them suited to different sports.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee commented: “London 2012 will be a Nationwide Games and the Roadshow is only the first part of our pledge to involve everyone the length and breadth of the UK towards, and including, 2012. We want to encourage young people to develop their sporting talents, to achieve something for themselves or to inspire others to unearth their own talents and visiting the London 2012 Roadshow is a great first step to accomplishing this.”

The event organised and hosted by Blyth Valley Arts and Leisure will welcome people to try a range of free sporting activities inside and outside of Concordia Leisure Centre, Cramlington. Get Active Northumberland Day commences at 10am and continues until 5pm. The day will see 160 children from schools across the area trying out handball, tennis, basketball and archery, to name just a few.

Other activities include a boogy baby dance sessions for parents and their toddlers as well as cultural activities such as face painting.

Judith Rasmussen, regional director with Sport England North East, said: “Get Active Northumberland Day is a great event for the Roadshow to visit as the day’s activities really champion this year’s goal to encourage people to take up sport in a fun and supportive environment.

“Children and adults alike will be given the chance to find out what sport works best for them and will also be able to learn about all the sporting opportunities available through the range of clubs and facilities that exist in the North East.

“We’re really pleased the Roadshow is to visit our region once again as we plan and look forward to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games – an event that is inspiring so many people to take up sport professionally or just for fun.”

Stacy Hall, One NorthEast Director of Communications and Tourism, said: “The London 2012 Roadshows are a fantastic opportunity to showcase our region’s sporting talent and reaffirm that the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be inclusive events, in which the whole of the UK can share and benefit from.”

Bruce Ledger, Chief Executive of Blyth Valley Arts and Leisure, said "Both Blyth Valley Council and Blyth Valley Arts and Leisure are committed to getting people more active and are delighted to host the 2012 London Roadshow. The Get Active Northumberland day is a great opportunity for local people to have fun and find out how to become more active."

The Roadshow is organised by the London 2012 Organising Committee, the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), Sport England and national sports councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the National Lottery.

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