Caius College PowerHouseGames 2021
When Sophie Barnett got in touch to help arrange a second Gonville & Caius PowerHouseGames following one organised by the now graduated Alex Parton and Luke Cavanaugh, I was absolutely thrilled. It showed there was a real appetite for these games – Sophie had attended one in her first year (pre-pandemic) and was keen to repeat the experience, “because it was such fun!”
Quilters Junior School were very keen to attend following their Paralympic Week back in September, so came with a wonderful set of Year 5s. King’s Ely brought their Year 8s and Melbourn Village College their additional needs students. Nicky Patel had said that her Melbourn students were a little anxious when told they would be in separate teams – teams of five in separate colourful t-shirts – but that in the end the event was so good for them, and the other team members had made them so welcome that they had really enjoyed it.
There was a delightful start as the younger team members, mostly Quilters, advocated for the Melbourn students to join their team, holding out their t-shirt as a trophy!
The games this time were boccia, goalball, walking football, sitting volleyball, sitting netball and new age kurling. Each had its champions, raucous cheers, and squeals, as the teams realised they could be competitive. With Alex keeping us to time and Dan snapping away – love the photos, Dan! – the morning ran like clockwork.
But it relies so heavily on our volunteers, so a big thank you to:
- Robert Houston who came to observe how his trust’s funding was being used and ended up playing in a bright pink top!
- Mark Slater for overseeing new age kurling and sitting volleyball as well as setting and tidying up.
- Jeremy Macklin, our P2I chair, for being so enthusiastic in his supervision of sitting netball.
- Debbie Macklin for becoming a lime green player and helping to gel her team.
- Patrick Gosling, such a stalwart of volunteering, for being such a safe pair of hands with goalball.
- And newcomer Philip Sleightholme for sorting all the refreshments and joining in as a red team player with wonderful enthusiasm.
Students from Melbourn Village College
With the schools bringing different numbers as absences took effect at the last minute, we also had three teachers play. Mike Wade, head at Quilters, joined the grey team, whom I guess he nicknamed “the hammers” after his beloved West Ham; his colleague Mrs Porteous was very enthusiastic; and Jo from King’s Ely let his inner child express its joy!
Thanks to the other teachers, particularly the crew from Melbourn, led by Nicky Patel. Their students have sent some lovely notes, but more importantly want to come again!
All the participants took home their t-shirt and a certificate and the additional needs students a medal too. But most of all everyone took away happy memories complete with laughter and smiles. You can read the Caius blog on the event by clicking the image here and check out what some of the Caius students thought of the event 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.
St Peter's Billericay PowerHouseGames 2021
It was a joy to return to St Peter’s Catholic Primary School. This was a ‘single school’ PowerHouseGames, with a whole school assembly to set the scene, talk about my life and how I had overcome the various barriers I had faced, and why we teach inclusive sport.
I was impressed the Year 6s remembered so much from my previous visit in February 2020, in the pre-Covid world! But it was a question from a Year 4 pupil that caught the eye:
“Do you enjoy being disabled?”
You will have to book a games with an assembly to hear the answer!
We played four games in the hall – new age kurling, sitting volleyball, sitting netball and goalball – with great help from each of the two class teachers and teaching assistants. Across the four year groups each of these four games had their champions and were equally liked.
Mrs Bradbury who arranged the visit said:
“Thank you so much for your visit – the children got so much out of it and are still talking about the activities they did with you.”
And head teacher Mrs Parker described the day as truly inspirational.
I look forward to returning again.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you are interested in hosting a PowerHouseGames in your school / college / company / community group then we would love to hear from you. As you have read we have even found a way to make our PowerHouseGames a success in lockdown so don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can help you plan your very own PowerHouseGames!!
Click the button here to find out more.
Goodenough College PowerHouseGames 2021
It was strange, delightful, rewarding and rejuvenating to return to London House, some 38 years after I had lived there, to deliver a PowerHouseGames. London House is now part of Goodenough College, a residential community for international postgraduate students studying in London.
I was one of the lucky ‘Brits’ to live there for three years as I trained to be a solicitor. I made lifelong friends there, so it has a special place in my heart.
Just over 40 residents and some Power2Inspire guests attended to turn the wonderful dining hall into a recreation room for the afternoon. Playing five inclusive games the 10 teams melded the nationalities, faiths, races, ages and abilities of the globe. We had South Africans playing with Indians, Canadians with Pakistanis, a real melting pot of the global community.
The enthusiasm was so great all the volunteers were early and into their stride quickly. Alex bonged the gong to start us all off, Director Alice welcomed us all, and Dean Alan kept us all under control with a benevolent smile. There was much debate as to which was the best sport.
New age kurling was popular, not just with the Canadians, with the competitive spirit in evidence as stones on the target were unceremoniously knocked off by later stones.
Boccia even attracted Alex into combat from his wheelchair but Orla flew the flag for the young person’s brigade.
Goalball induced squeals, laughter, cheating, brilliance and great communication as players battled with being blindfolded.
Sitting volleyball was the favourite of my old pal Martin, whom I met at the College when we were starting our legal careers. He explained – note to self – that the smaller beach balls were better as they seemed to go where they were hit, more than the larger ones which floated anywhere, including, rather impressively, onto a high window ledge.
Sitting netball, which I claim to have invented, was very popular but regarded as way the most tiring and also the one that brought out the real competitive side.
Thanks to Rohit and his family for supporting the event – I look forward to hosting a PowerHouseGames in their community soon. Also thanks to Neville, another old London House friend, Chris who had popped in to show his support, but above all to Lindsay, my wife for coming with me and getting stuck in.
I would also like to mention Patrick, Rosie, Thomas and Tess, residents who garnered support and helped make this inaugural version happen. And of course, to Dean Alan and Director Alice and Hannah, who defies a label, for commissioning these games. I really do hope we can return in the summer to deliver an even bigger version outdoors.
I left feeling a real glow: from bringing people together, from seeing families with disabled children get involved, but above all from seeing that Goodenough College is just as vibrant, young at heart and generous in spirit as it was. Keep up the good work guys and spread this wonderful ethos to the world.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you are interested in hosting a PowerHouseGames in your school / college / company / community group then we would love to hear from you. As you have read we have even found a way to make our PowerHouseGames a success in lockdown so don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can help you plan your very own PowerHouseGames!!
Click the button here to find out more.
Ely College PowerHouseGames 2021
This was two days at Ely College for the price of one! On the Thursday morning the Power2Inspire team taught some fantastic Year 12s all the different inclusive sports and then, on the Friday morning, they Year 12s led 60 Year 7s in a full PowerHouseGames. What a great event!
I was really impressed by how well the Y12s stepped up to run their first event. Taking charge of each group of 10 (the Y7s were split equally between the six activities) was daunting but they grew in confidence and were able to start coaching as the rotation proceeded. After a break we had the Y12s move to a different sport to extend their learning and to see how to develop their coaching to a new activity.
The six games were goalball, sitting netball, sitting volleyball, new age kurling, boccia, and with parachute games. The latter was a challenge as the Year 12s had to remember back to their childhood for suitable games. The parachute is a vital part of the inclusive games armoury as disabled youngsters can often only truly join in with this. The Y12s soon became imaginative, creating fun games for their younger fellow students to play.
The Year 7s had a great time, going by the noise and the comments! One pupil asked Ms Bays, the teacher in charge:
“Can we do these games every week, miss!”
On the Thursday during the training, we were visited by the Principal, Simon Warburton, and head of Sixth Form, Adam Steels. They were so intrigued they had to have a new age kurling match – won rather convincingly it has to be said, by Mr Warburton, who seemed very pleased with himself!
Thank you to Gemma Bays and Ben Crosbie for creating the opportunity, to the Year 7s for making such a racket and enjoying all the games, but above all to the Year 12s for leading the games with skill, courage, and persistence.
If any other Sixth Forms out there are interested, please do get in touch, because this model is a fun way to embed leadership learning.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you are interested in hosting a PowerHouseGames in your school / college / company / community group then we would love to hear from you. We have even found a way to make our PowerHouseGames a success in lockdown so don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can help you plan your very own PowerHouseGames!!
Click the button here to find out more.
Team Power2Inspire at the Cambridge Half Marathon 2021
Twenty runners, a fully-fledged charity tent, nerves, excitement, laughter, relief, some pain, and oodles of smiles! What a wonderful day Sunday 17th October was.
Power2Inspire has had runners at the Cambridge Half Marathon before, but this was different. Thanks to our great friends and partners, Cambridge University Sports Centre, we were allocated 20 charity places at this year’s race. Our runners came in all ages, sizes and shapes – but with two things in common: a desire to enjoy themselves and to raise funds for Power2Inspire!
The day started early. Needing to park up on Midsummer Common before 7:00 am, I was up before 6:00 am, driving through the empty streets, and enjoying the unseasonal warm weather. Andrea and Mark joined me, two intrepid volunteers. They started by dressing our gazebo, ably erected on the Friday by our great friend Bob Barnes. Tables, chairs, leaflets, banners and flags all set out and we were ready for our runners. Well not quite – Mark acquired coffees and sausage rolls which made for a wonderful breakfast.
The runners came in clusters. The Macklin family – Jeremy, Debbie, Fiona and Hugo – had dragged along their partners, Jemima and Thea. What a great family effort and all ran very creditable times, though Hugo’s was very fast! Fiona and Thea in their CUBC kit (both Blues) sped round and looked as if they hadn’t disturbed a hair. Hugo and Jemima are working on a trip for Power2Inspire to Magdalen College School, Oxford for a PowerHouseGames, which is exciting.
Guy Hinchley, an old schoolfriend, and former Managing Partner of Mills & Reeve, brought along his colleague Brian Marshall. Guy completed his second half marathon thirty years after his first, a wonderful achievement. Brian was concerned that interrupted training would jeopardise his run so his successful completion was even sweeter. And he is fundraising for Power2Inspire post-event.
Justin Ott and Parthiban joined the Team back in January. Justin had run a couple of half marathons for Power2Inspire a couple of years ago, the latter marvellously with our great friend Don Hutchinson, a World Ironman and coach; but for Parthiban this was his first. Great preparation, a plan to pace himself, led to a perfectly executed race, finishing one minute inside his targeted time. Well done Parthiban.
Edward Delville-Jones was our youngest runner – he is in his last year at Rugby. He blitzed the course in 1 hour 29 minutes, captured expertly by dad Gareth in front of one of our new banners.
Trustees Gemma Thake and Vanessa Ibbett added to their board role by taking on the challenge. Vanessa persuaded friend Steve Barnard to run and fiancé Tom to carry the flag – literally a rucksack with a flag banner. Volunteer Steve Shaw joined Tom in moving to different vantage points on the course to cheer and clap. Dan Blackburn and family stood in Grantchester at the 8 mile banner and clapped and shouted so hard comments came back to me!
Ieva Andraityte, Marissa Snook and Elisabetta Conti came separately but faced the challenge with similar nerves, but they all completed and smiled so much afterwards I thought we could power the whole event. Well done ladies.
Mark Howarth, our virtual boat race friend from mch.london (big shout out for his firm – see the links on the front page) fought a bad back and aggravating feet in turn to complete and raise another stonking amount of money for the charity.
We were joined by Johnny Pickthorn and his ‘I am supporting not running’ dad Tom, who is also from Mills & Reeve, as our tent was so convivial, and Johnny knows Edward. Hopefully they can add their fundraising efforts to the Team Power2Inspire page.
Ian Hunneybell (whose partner Andrea got up early and supported) is a veteran of these events but had never run the Cambridge Half. He galvanised the team in the last weeks, creating a WhatsApp group and provided much needed advice and encouragement. He liked the flat nature of the course but all the runners commented quite how tiring the long incline back from Grantchester was – not as flat after all as they had believed. The course received compliments all round – running through the colleges and along the backs was a treat.
Sam Mascarenhas was a lovely addition to the team, coming in through the internet. This was his first half marathon and he stormed home in 1 hour 30 minutes, a remarkable effort. Thanks Sam and I am so pleased raising money to ensure “No one is left on the bench!” resonated with you.
And a final big shout out to Katherine Rutherford, who fundraised for us, but entered through her own steam, rather than one of our charity free places. Her fundraising of over £650 has been stupendous and will enable us to deliver more PowerHouseGames in schools like Duxford (see the latest blog) and see Inclusion through Sport in action!
Thanks to all the other supporters (Annabel, Kate, Rose, Sam to name some) for making this a great day.
I will leave the final word to our chair Jeremy Macklin:
“It is not too late to support the runners by giving to fund the great work Power2Inspire does. Nobody got left on the bench on Sunday, and we work to ensure that keeps happening everywhere we go. See you all next year – Sunday 6th March 2022.”
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.