SAINSBURYS UK SCHOOL GAMES STARTS IN THE NORTH EAST
Thursday, 2 September
As the UK’s finest elite young athletes descend on the North East of England for the Sainsbury’s UK School Games, more than 150 local schoolchildren honoured their arrival with a special dance performance.
Led by acclaimed choreographer Dora Frankel, ‘Dance Bites’ formed part of the Games’ wider Cultural and Educational Programme and saw children from nine schools and one youth group in Gateshead performing in front of the assembled audience.
The contemporary dance performance was inspired by the 10 sports represented at the Sainsbury’s UK School Games: Athletics, Badminton, Cycling, Fencing, Gymnastics, Hockey, Judo, Swimming, Table Tennis and Volleyball with disability events in Swimming, Athletics and Table Tennis.
Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell and Steve Grainger, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust - the organisation responsible for the Sainsbury’s UK School Games - joined the celebrations at the Sage Gateshead.
Steve Grainger said: “We are delighted to be in North East England for the fifth Sainsbury’s UK School Games. The start of the Games culminates a year of planning with our partners and I have no doubt that we are going to see some great competition across the four days.
“The performance of ‘Dance Bites’ has been fantastic and forms part of our wider Cultural and Educational Programme at the Sainsbury’s UK School Games and offers all the athletes, volunteers, officials and spectators a level of engagement away from the field of play. Key elements of this programme include tonight’s opening ceremony, elite athlete role models and anti-doping workshops for the athletes and will compliment the superb standard of competition.”
Darren Campbell, who has been to numerous Olympic and Commonwealth Games commented: “The Sainsbury’s UK School Games is a fantastic platform for our next generation of athletes and I have no doubt that Gateshead, Newcastle and Sunderland will put on a great show. Having competed in the region more times than I would care to remember, the passion for sport in the North East is almost unrivalled.
“From my experiences at multi-sport events, the key focus was always about the sport, however the other elements in and around the athletes village and sporting venues are very important. I have heard a lot about the Cultural and Educational Programme at this year’s games and I think it will add to everyone’s enjoyment of the event.”
Councillor Linda Green Gateshead Council cabinet member for culture said: “We have ambitious plans to encourage all our residents including Gateshead school children to be more active and healthy of which the Sainsbury’s UK School Games North East England 2010 is an integral part.
“The ‘Dance Bites’ performance which had 150 of our youngsters involved in a performance to honour the arrival of the UK’s finest young athletes was a very inspirational way of encouraging residents young and old to appreciate the value of hosting an event of this calibre. Not only is it the sporting endeavour but the wider cultural and educational impact of such an event that cannot be under estimated.
“Gateshead International Stadium and Gateshead Leisure Centre are two of the venues being used; both have a long history of sporting prestige, both are fitting venues for our future Olympic hopefuls as well as testament to our status as European City of Sport 2010 .
“The Sainsbury's UK School Games North East England 2010 will be an inspirational event for the very best young athletes throughout England Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and I would urge everyone to get along and see the excitement for themselves.”
The Games which get underway this evening from 8.30pm with the Opening Ceremony at Gateshead International Stadium will see 1,600 elite school aged athletes competing over four days in the best sporting venues Gateshead, Newcastle and Sunderland have to offer.
Schools represented in the ‘Dance Bites’ performance: Chopwell Primary School, Whickham Parochial Primary School, Lord Lawson School, St. Peter’s Primary School, Harlow Green Primary School, Ryton Comprehensive School, Lobley Hill Primary School, St Phillip Neri RC Primary school and Bill Quay Primary School, and Gateshead Mobile Youth Project.
In 2006, The UK School Games received a £6 million grant from Legacy Trust UK. As an event which fully encompasses sport, education and culture, the UK School Games was one of Legacy Trust UK's first projects. In addition to the Legacy Trust UK, the Sainsbury's UK School Games has a consortium of North East partners who will assist with the staging of the games. These include Gateshead, Newcastle and Sunderland Councils, NewcastleGateshead Initiative, North East England, and Northumbria and Newcastle Universities who are supplying sport facilities and accommodation.