Brighton and Hove International Festival of Sport 2008
Brighton and Hove has one of the most successful Schools Sports Partnerships in the country. Set up in 2001, and led by Dorothy Stringer Sports College, the partnership established a schools sports festival in 2006 to develop a city-wide programme for children aged 5 to 16. This event has exceeded all expectations with over 11,000 children taking part in 2007.
Due to the festival’s phenomenal success and the opportunity that the London 2012 games offer in terms of public interest in sport, the Partnership, in collaboration with the City Council and the local Primary Care Trust have decided to expand the festival to include adults, with the intention of making a step change in participation levels for sports and physical activity in the city. Our aim is simple - to use the London 2012 Olympics to encourage more people to get more active more often.
During the next 5 years we plan to:
- Support local clubs, businesses and community groups to ensure the highest possible level of local involvement in sport and physical activity
- Help Brighton and Hove exceed the national targets set for healthy living, active lifestyles and participation in sports
- Work with local agencies and associations to expand the number of volunteers and community trainers involved in sport and physical activity
More specifically, the 2008 festival will produce:
- An increase on last year's attendance level by under 16's
- Creation of a base line figure for adult attendance, with the aim of increasing that figure year on year
- Involvement of clubs and community groups for the first time, giving them an increased profile, opportunity to recruit and evidencing pathways for sustained participation
- Increased opportunities for those currently volunteering in sport to increase numbers on the volunteer database
- An increase in participation in the number of those traditionally less active (e.g. people with disabilities, older people)
- Removal of a perceived barrier to participation - cost. Most activities will be free of charge
The main focus of the festival will be a large scale community event – the TAKEPART day in Preston Park in Brighton which will act as a showcase and shop window for local sports and associations helping them recruit new members.
The 2008 Festival - 28th June–13th July 2008
TAKEPART Day
A spectacular TAKEPART day in Preston Park on Saturday June 28th with free taster sessions in over 30 different activities and sports, special displays and performances including the world famous Team Extreme BMX-ers and Brighton’s very own Urban Playground, team games for all the family and a special market area with information about clubs and associations in the city.
Download more information here.
Schools Programme
A two week programme for schools with over eighty activities including sailing and windsurfing at Hove Lagoon, cricket at the County Cricket Ground, a swimming gala at the Prince Regent, dance, taster sessions and playground aerobics.
Seafront Weekend
An outdoor weekend on 5th and 6th July when the festival moves to the seafront. Activities include taster beach volleyball, foot volley, beach tag and beach soccer sessions at Yellowave and the fantastic Paddle Round the Pier event with kayaking, skateboarding, sailing, streetsurfing, petanque and a range of activities on Hove Lawns.
Tournaments
A series of tournaments and competitions including football, beach volleyball, tennis, golf, athletics and swimming involving teams from all over Brighton & Hove in the biggest celebration of sport the city has ever seen.
Main Programme
Individual events including established events like the Brighton Carnival, special events with the Albion, Sussex County Cricket and Yellowave, taster sessions in a huge range of sports including table tennis, netball, basketball and disabled sport and a special PCT Community grants scheme offering small grants of £250 for community groups to take part in the festival.
TAKEPART Community Day
The Festival will be launched with a massive community day in Preston Park on June 28th. The TAKEPART day will be a large scale free event with:
- A large market area where local clubs and associations can give out information on their activities and recruit new members
- A Family Fun area with ‘It’s a Knock Out’ style games
- A Children’s play area
- An area for Dance, Thai Chi and other non competitive activities
- Taster sessions in over 30 different sports
- A number of high profile attractions including
- Team Extreme (BMXers)
- An Ice Rink
- A Sponsored Skip by the British Heart Foundation with a World Record attempt for the largest number of people in a sponsored skip (target 2,000)
- Fun runs
So come along and join in the fun! We'll see you there!
