Lottery funding boost for Bedfordshire School Games Festival

The committee for Bedfordshire and Luton has been awarded the funding from Sport England to deliver the School Games festival in 2014.

It will be the culmination of year-round competitions within schools and between schools, with the most talented athletes progressing to compete across more than 30 sports including athletics, wheelchair basketball, hockey, volleyball and badminton.

Sport England’s Strategic Lead – Youth, Suzanne Glavin, said: “The Sainsbury’s School Games Festivals play a critical role in inspiring a generation of youngsters to play sport by providing them with opportunities to take part in competitive school sport.

“It also introduces talented athletes to high level competition, and with the help of the sport governing bodies, they are supported and signposted to further opportunities to compete and develop their talent.

“We are delighted to award this funding to Bedfordshire and Luton and would like to thank them for the work they do in making these events happen.”

The 2014 County Sports Festivals will be bigger than ever before with an expected 150 festivals across the country, 175,000 students – including 17,000 students with a disability - and 25,000 volunteers.

Gill Morrow, School Games Lead for the LOC said: “The Sainsbury’s School Games are an amazing opportunity for children across Bedfordshire to become engaged in competitive sport; and the funding we receive from the National Lottery will help to ensure we can for the third year running host 2 highly successful, inspiring and motivational School Games Festivals, not only for those children competing in sport but also for those children involved in reporting, designing, singing, leading and coaching.”

The School Games Level 3 festivals in Bedfordshire and Luton will take place on Friday, March 7 and Thursday, June 26.

For further information visit www.teambedsandluton.co.uk or www.yourschoolgames.com