Well I couldn’t have asked for a better all-round team for leading my first PowerHouseGames.
What a wonderful, joyous occasion Friday was!
Power2Inspire teamed-up with the University of Cambridge Cricket Club, led by the fantastic Priyanka Patel, for their fourth PowerHouseGames at the Cambridge University Sports Centre. The students came out in force for an early Friday morning session and were absolutely brilliant, getting fully involved with all the schoolchildren and activities.
We were also thrilled to team up with illumina for the first time. Illumina are a global biotechnology company with offices in Cambridge and have a fantastic Employee Resource Group called Unique that brought together 18 diverse volunteers who took a corporate charity day to come and be part of our PowerHouseGames. And they were marvellous! Adapting the games to suit the children in their groups, encouraging them at every turn and ensuring everyone had loads of fun. We can’t wait to work together with them again in the future.
The Perse and Netherhall Schools brought students from across the secondary year groups and Castle Special school brought students from across their Pre-formal, Semi-formal and Formal education groups. They were all amazing. It was such a privilege to spend Friday morning hanging out with all these participants playing inclusive, adapted sports at our latest PowerHouseGames. You can see from the photos below the smiles and infectious laughter that carried us through the day.
With our Chief Ambassador and Founder, John Willis, taking a well-deserved family holiday it was down to me to help co-ordinate the day. I have to say that I was a little nervous coming in to run what is such a big event with around 80 people involved, but the team were incredible. I couldn’t have done it without the brilliant David Ellis, Steve Shaw, Paul Sanwell, Mark Slater, Ellis Maloney and Richard Hill as well as the illumina and CUCC volunteers. I was certainly given the best possible team to work with. Thank you all!
If the smiles and the hall resounding with laughter weren’t enough, then the comments from the school students suggest they really were having the best time:
Rosabel from The Perse said:
“I loved the experience so much and think it should definitely happen every year! It was brilliant to see a group of strangers get along so well and be so encouraging to everyone. I loved getting to know all the people in my group and everyone was so kind and friendly, and it was really interesting to find out everyone’s school, university, or job. The games were so much fun, and I especially loved the football which was very funny watching people speed walk. I would 100% do it again and the whole day I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing and I overall absolutely loved it!”
And these comments from students at Netherhall seem to back her up:
“It was a great day where people from everywhere got together to enjoy sport. I had so much fun learning new sports and being part of a supportive team.”
“I really enjoyed the energy and joy everyone put into all the activities, and it made it very exciting. I especially liked the walking football and seated netball as they were very fun. The whole thing felt very inclusive.”
“I really liked today because we got to work with new people including people from different schools which was nice. Also, we got to enjoy lots of new sports and ones I have never played before.”
“The day was very fun and well thought out. It was inclusive and fun. It was a fun experiencing new sports that everyone can take part in, and it was fun playing with other schools and people.”
What a fantastic testament to the whole vision and purpose of our PowerHouseGames!
A special mention has to be made of Priyanka Patel (pictured right in the photo of all the CUCC volunteers here). She has helped run a PowerHouseGames with the University Cricket Club every year of her time at Cambridge. What a superstar! Power2Inspire wishes you all the very best for your future.
Here’s what she had to say about how much she’s treasured PowerHouseGames over the past 4 years:
“Working with Power2Inspire through four PowerHouseGames has been one of my favourite things about my entire university experience. With a huge variety of people brought together over innovative games, from boccia and curling to goalball and table cricket, every experience has been unique but just as great as the last. I will never get tired of seeing the joy on all the kids’ faces as they immediately work together to accommodate each other’s differences without losing their competitive spirit. Every year our CUCC volunteers rave about how much fun they had, and I hope the tradition of CUCC PowerHouseGames continues far into the future!”
What are PowerHouseGames?
PowerHouseGames are incredible sports days using adapted games and sports, with activities designed to be accessible and fun for everyone, old and young, with disabilities and none, sporty and not. Participants are encouraged to test their beliefs about ability and disability and what it is to be different, to learn to respect other people’s differences, and Power2Inspire works with them to challenge their assumptions of what they can and cannot do.
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 of OP Photography for his fantastic photography on the day. All photos used with permission
