Over 180 young people with disabilities and special needs gathered at the University of Brighton’s campus in Eastbourne for the two-day festival. Students took part in a wide variety of sports including basketball, badminton, rugby, football, new age kurling, parachute, boccia and table games.
The festival was organised by East Sussex County Council’s PE and Sports Development Service in conjunction with district and borough council sports development teams.
The aim of the annual festival is to provide a focus for young people to learn and enjoy themselves in a fully inclusive and supportive sporting environment. Students from mainstream secondary schools and community colleges worked together with pupils from special schools in a number of sports.
Councillor Keith Glazier, Lead Member for Adults’ and Children’s Services, said: "The festival was a real success and enjoyed by everyone who took part. Parents, carers, teachers and the young people themselves often express concern about the lack of sporting and recreational opportunities open to them. That is why this annual festival is so important. The event also provides us with a platform to organise further initiatives and festivals.”
All the sports at the festival were supervised by community sports leaders from William Parker Sports College under the guidance of sports development officers and qualified coaches, including a coach from Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. Every pupil and sport leader who took part in the festival will be presented with a certificate in their school at a later date.
Notes to editors
The following schools and community colleges took part in the festival: Cuckmere House (Seaford), the Lindfield School (Eastbourne), Hazel Court Secondary School (Eastbourne), South Downs Community Special School (Eastbourne), St Mary’s School (Wrestwood), West St Leonards, St Mary’s Horam, St Anne’s (Newhaven), Saxon Mount (St Leonards), Torfield School (Hastings) and Filsham Valley School (St Leonards). Councillor John Livings, Vice-Chairman of the County Council attended the event and gave the young people a welcoming speech.
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