Athletics festival hosts sport campaign launch

9:06am Tuesday 11th March 2008

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LET'S Get Active - that was the message at an athletics festival in Basingstoke for primary school children that provided the launchpad for a major borough campaign to improve sports participation.

Basingstoke's Sport and Physical Activity Alliance (SPAA) group launched the Get Active Week initiative at the Basingstoke and Deane Schools Sports Partnership athletics festival at Brighton Hill Community College.

The campaign aims to get the borough active by encouraging people of all ages to try new sports in Basingstoke from July 7 to 13. Sports centres and clubs in Basingstoke will offer free taster sessions during the week in a bid to get more people more active.

The campaign will feature a website which, over the coming weeks and months, will detail all the events and courses that will take place during Get Active Week.

Shaun Gillam, partnership development manager for Basingstoke and Deane School Sports Partnership and a member of the SPAA, said: "Being active is very important. Just leading a healthy, active lifestyle is proven to reduce the levels of obesity and help with concentration."

More than 80 children from seven primary schools across Basingstoke took part in the annual athletics festival.

St Mary's Junior School, in Milkingpen Lane, Old Basing, came top in the competition, while Oakley Junior School, in Oakley Lane, Oakley, came second, and the B team from North Waltham Primary School, in Steventon Road, North Waltham, came third.

The children, split into boys and girls, were involved in various events, including long jump, throwing a basketball and a relay race.

Bramley-based fencer Ben Peggs and England netball vice-captain Karen Atkinson helped launch Get Active Week and were on hand to support, and chat to, the children.

The 29-year-old netball star told the youngsters: "It really doesn't matter what sport you choose as long as you find something you enjoy, which keeps you fit and healthy."

Seventeen-year-old Ben, who aims to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics, said: "I did fencing as an after-school activity and I carried it on from there.

"I think sport for young children is brilliant. It's also great for the community as it brings people together."