June and July are our busiest months of the year – it’s hard enough for me to keep up with so many brilliant events, let alone write about them! I have managed to blog about our visits to St Mary and St John’s, Oxford, St John Fisher, Oxford and St Faith’s, Cambridge which are linked below but we need to acknowledge the wonderful Games2Inspire days at The Perse in Cambridge, Cecil Road in Kent, and King’s Ely Prep School.
This was the eighth Games2Inspire with The Perse (one was online during Covid) – one of biggest local supporters. The events get better and better. Supported by our wonderful trustee-volunteer, Stephen Peak, who supervised new age kurling, we had six sports and an inclusive kilometre along with the assembly to open proceedings, to fill the eight lesson day.
As ever I was supervising sitting netball, which proved more competitive and tiring than most of the boys expected. The Y8s raised an amazing £2,110 (including gift aid) through sponsorship for the inclusive kilometre and 108 challenge.
My visit to Cecil Road in Gravesend, Kent, came from a prize awarded by Active Kent. They had met us at the Christ Church University PowerHouseGames in 2024 and decided an inclusive sports day was a fitting prize for the school who encouraged the most activity in play time through a term. The sports leaders at Cecil Road Primary School were outstanding in encouraging their classmates and juniors to play organised games, so were worthy winners.
I gave a talk in assembly and held workshops through the day captured beautifully by videographer, Richard Mott.
Amazingly it was our 11th Games2Inspire at King’s Ely Prep School. Right at the end of term, it makes for an ideal fun morning for the children, and we managed to get the games in before the searing heat arrived at noon. Based in front of the school we had eight activities on the go; all led from within their teams by 90 Y7s!
With 32 teams comprising Y3s and 4s (with their Y7 leaders) there was a little confusion to start with, but once that was sorted, the children were soon getting into boccia, sitting volleyball, goalball and sitting netball to name just a few.
A big thank you to Andrew Marshall for championing our partnership and to Amanda Kippax for organising things on the day.
Adding in the other Games2Inspire this term we have delivered inclusive sport to 837 children, proving that it is possible that no one need be left on the bench.
I am always bowled over by the enthusiasm of the pupils, whether from state or independent school to learn through play; their desire to help and support; and their passionate determination to have fun!
What are Games2Inspire?
Games2Inspire events are incredible events, most often hosted in schools, with an assembly and sports day which includes activities designed to be accessible and fun for everyone, with disabilities and none, sporty and not. Participants get to meet our inspirational founder, John Willis, and hear all about how John has overcome obstacles in his life. They then get to put that learning to practice by playing adapted games and sports together learning new skills and being encouraged to test their beliefs about ability and disability and what it is to be different, learning to respect other people’s differences. Power2Inspire works with them to challenge their assumptions of what they can and cannot do.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you are interested in hosting a Games2Inspire in your school / college / company / community group then we would love to hear from you.
We are also always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer individually at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. There are SO MANY WAYS we can all help to ensure “no on else is left on the bench!” Click the button here to find out more.
