Hoohaah 10k at Ickworth for Power2Inspire
Barr Ellison Hoohaah Ickworth 10kSunday 22nd May 2022
A staggering 368 runners and their families flocked to Ickworth 10k to bask in the sunshine and explore the outstanding grounds. I do not know how Hannah Hodgson does it! It was the perfect setting – a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, stunning location and another wonderful group of runners. All fundraising for Power2Inspire!
We would like to thank everyone – fundraising opportunities like this, make the world of difference to the people we work with. It enables us to talk to thousands of young people in schools across the country, run inclusive sports events and raise awareness to make sure inclusion is at the top of the agenda.
It also helps supports wonderful heritage venues, such as National Trust’s Ickworth. We were pleased to hear so many families pledging to return to explore the house further.
You might guess that I enjoyed being the commentator! At least my hat proved a hit.
The next Hoohaah 10k is on Sunday 12th June at Shuttleworth. There are a few tickets available for runners who turn up on the day. You can also come along and cheer or get in touch if you would like to help marshall. You can find out all the details on the hoohaah website here.
Thank you to Hannah and her Hoohaah team; to Active Training World for sorting the timing and the commentator’s list; to Barr Ellison to sponsoring the series; the National Trust for sharing this special location; and above all to the runners for fundraising for Power2Inspire!
We’ve had a busy month. Not only have I been on the microphone at the Hoohaah 10k; we hosted Games2Inspire at Balgowan Primary School where a Year 4 wheelchair user shared his joy of being able join in; and we received feedback from a family at our Super Sensory 1K who said that they were able to play together…at last!
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you would like to support us in our mission to “embed inclusive sport in the sporting, education and community landscapes” then we would love to hear from you.
We’re always looking for opportunities to collaborate with new venues and corporate sponsors. Get in touch to find out more.
Click the button here to find out more.
With special thanks to Active Training World for their fantastic photography. All photos used with permission
Hoohaah 10ks at Thetford and Childerley for Power2Inspire
It has been an absolute joy to partner hoohaah (run by Hannah Hodgson), as their charity partner for their 2022 10k running programme. Sponsored by Barr Ellison, solicitors, hoohaah are holding four 10k runs around the region in wonderful locations. Thank you Hannah!
My first foray was in the forest – on Sunday 27th March – Thetford Forest to be precise, on trails through the woods. It had been an unseasonably warm Saturday, so the runners were delighted to wake up to cloud cover. As a spectator I was very glad for the warm coffee! Set in a clearing the start/finish was all so professional, with arch, registration tent and a sound system for the warm-up.
After a meeting for the marshals, and the rather-too-energetic-for-me warm-up! Hannah invited me to address the assembled runners, approximately 330 of them, explaining our vision of no one being left on the bench. The donations made on entry will make a huge difference allowing us to put on such events as the SuperSensory1K at Histon, and push for a society where everyone can enjoy inclusive sport together.
I was delighted to be asked to be the commentator, my dream job when I was little. It was made easier by the tablet that records the runners as they pass a chip-reader, cleverly placed 100m from the finish. That means I was able to congratulate them as they achieve the significant goal of running 10k!
The second 10k in this Barr Ellison series was closer to home at Childerley Estate, north-west of Cambridge. In glorious, if cool, sunshine, the runners spoke of the beautiful estate, but Hannah warned them of the dangers of rabbit holes.
As a seasoned spectator and commentator – I had done one! – it was easier to address the 350 runners and come up with more descriptions of the efforts the runners had made to complete the 10k. Also, it was lovely to catch up with Jocelyn Poulton, now a partner in Childerley Estates.
The joy, camaraderie and love of outdoors makes these events welcoming, fun and very good for all participants, supporters and volunteers. I heartily recommend signing up for the two remaining 10ks by clicking the button here.
- The hoohaah Barr Ellison 10k at Ickworth – 22nd May
- The hoohaah Barr Ellison 10k at Shuttleworth – 12th June
And remember your donation on entry helps us make sport inclusive.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you would like to support us in our mission to “embed inclusive sport in the sporting, education and community landscapes” then we would love to hear from you. We are always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. Click the button here to find out more.
Sheringham High School Games2Inspire 2022
Our first Games2Inspire in Norfolk, our first time on the North Norfolk coast, and our first involvement with a mainstream school’s SEN day. And it was brilliant!
A shiny day, the sea sparkling in April sunshine, and immediately on arrival we met Ben, a wheelchair-using Year 7 who we soon discovered had been invited to join the Year 9 SEN day. What a jovial and cheerful young man Ben is, full of laughter and wit. I thought it was already good and Ben made the day better!
I was given a full 45 minutes at assembly to give a talk about my life, how I overcame the various obstacles I have faced, and then an opportunity to introduce Power2Inspire and why we deliver Games2Inspire in schools. There were some grand questions too:
How do I use my iPhone?
What was the greatest challenge I have faced?
My favourite sport?
The 132 Year 9s were split into four groups with other external experts holding workshops while Patrick (my wonderful volunteer) and I led a session of games. We chose three: new age kurling, sitting netball and goalball. What I loved was that the students all found at least one to engage them.
I was delighted to discover at the end of my assembly that four pupils from the adjacent Woodfields Special Needs School were in the audience and had been inspired. The wonderful organiser of the day, Rachael Harding, invited them there and then to return to join in the games. They duly did, returning for the second session of the day and getting stuck into the games.
I do hope to be able to connect with the rest of Woodfields. Apparently, though there had only been four students willing to attend assembly, there were plenty more willing to join the games as word had reached them what fun it was to be part of a Power2Inspire event.
In fact, I later heard that the four pupils that came to the event have written an incredible letter to their headmaster asking if John could come and speak to their school.
You can read it here:
In the afternoon we had little difficulty in persuading Ms Harding and Ms Kate Yarbo, the Sheringham SEN governor who had popped in to see the fun, to have a go at sitting netball. Their competitive instincts were soon revealed, but it was clear they espouse our Number 1 Rule – to have FUN!
I was also accompanied by former Power2Inspire trustee, Professor Francis Davis. He is currently attending Power2Inspire events to evaluate and measure their impact, observe the difference they make and opine on their contribution to the public benefit. We await his report in a couple of months with trepidation and excitement.
The highlight of the day for me was the enthusiasm shown by the Y9s on Ben’s team as they passed him the sitting netball – carefully constructed throws so he could catch the ball in his lap – for him to score! True inclusion.
Thank you, Ms Harding and Sheringham. I would love to return. If there are other schools out there who wish to educate their students with a SEN-inclusion day and have us as a major part, we would love to hear from you.
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. As you can read in our Latest News we have even found a way to make our Games2Inspire a success in lockdown so don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can help you plan your very own Games2Inspire!!
Click the button here to find out more.
Cambridge University Hockey Club PowerHouseGames 2022
“I know you want photos showing off what the disadvantaged students are doing, John, but I can’t tell the difference!”
said Paul Sanwell, photographer extraordinaire, unwittingly making my day! Because that is exactly what we the PowerHouseGames are all about – everyone just playing and having fun together!
It was a pleasure to link up with the Cambridge University Hockey Club for the first time. A massive thanks to Ed Tyler and Frankie Harley for making it happen. We welcomed for the first time too, St Bede’s Inter-Church School whose enthusiasm, laughs and cheers, hopefully show they will return for more. And it was great to see The Perse School back after a Covid break, with of course, our friends from Castle Special School. It was a different class to last week, so they too are spreading the benefit around.
In addition to the usual games of boccia, new age kurling, goalball, walking football and now an embedded favourite – sitting netball, we tried out floor lacrosse for the first time. Designed by a father of a disabled boy who wanted to play hockey but lacked the motor skills to control the ball with a stick, it uses baskets to trap the ball on the floor. We adapted the rules to eliminate tackling and reduce the damage to the baskets – even so Patrick, our wonderful volunteer, spent most of his time putting the sticks/baskets back together and handing them back to players! The games were competitive and fun as I hope you can see from the smiles in the excellent photos.
To conclude we slipped in a bonus game of sitting netball with all participating: greens and blues versus the rest. The chaos was multiplied when referee Steve (another stalwart volunteer) threw in a second ball. I reckon this match set a world record as we were 30 a-side!
These games bring to an end our Spring season of University PowerHouseGames with four excellent mornings. You can read about each of the others below. Power2Inspire is definitely now back on the road after Covid and we are planning a big day at Wilberforce Road Sports Ground (the home of the university athletics track and hockey pitches) in the summer, working around exams, so if your school would like to join in the fun do get in touch below.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
Would your university sports team, or school love to be involved in a PowerHouseGames? Could your company support our mission by volunteering at one of our PowerHouseGames? If so, 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.
With special thanks to Paul Sanwell at OP Photographic for his incredible photography on the day. All photos used with permission
Cambridge University Football Club PowerHouseGames 2022
A quieter PowerHouseGames! Was that because we were slightly down on numbers? We had two great schools – Highfield Special School and King’s College School, Cambridge – not the usual three; and one footballer per team, not the usual two. Or was it because this was the day after the Varsity Matches and some of our participants were just a little sleep deprived?!? Whichever it was, everyone had a great time with fun, smiles and laughter very much in evidence.
We introduced a version of blindfolded football, restricting the teams to guided slalom between cones and penalties as they raced each other. Previous experience shows that too many players and guides get kicked when trying a proper game without plenty of practice first!
The students reported how much they loved the event, and were extremely keen to repeat the experience in years to come. The King’s pupils excelled themselves making the Highfields students relax and have fun.
We came together at the end to play a massive game of sitting netball, which made for much hilarity. Even I got involved, creating the position I will call backstop (behind the net), which saw rather more of the ball than I expected as shots do miss! It meant I was able to demonstrate you can still ‘pass’ the ball without hands; I punch it with my right ‘paw’ and get about 90% accuracy! It truly is a game for all.
See what two of the amazing volunteers from Cambridge University Associated Football Club thought of their first PowerHouseGames!
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
Would your university sports team, or school love to be involved in a PowerHouseGames? Could your company support our mission by volunteering at one of our PowerHouseGames? If so, 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.