One thousand children enjoy SPAR Lancashire School Games finale

Around 1,000 children enjoyed celebratory finale events as the SPAR Lancashire School Games concluded for an 18th year.

A Party in the Park in Burnley, a Blackpool Zoo Orienteering Festival, and a Central Festival in Preston saw the games that SPAR has sponsored since 2006 finish in fine style.

Activities held across the trio of events included a traditional sports day, a creative dance production, outdoor activities, target sports, quad kids athletics, orienteering, football skills, crown green bowling, scootering, tennis skills, and kayaking.

This academic year saw the games reformatted with an increased focus on organising events and competitions in three distinct clusters in Lancashire – Coastal, Central, and Pennine – ensuring schoolchildren enjoy a programme of activity better aligned to local needs.

At Party in the Park, Amira Akbar, age 8, from Longshaw Junior School in Blackburn, said: “I have had lots of fun competing with my friends and I have had chance to take part in new sports. I have done welly throwing, vortex, and tug of war. The colour run has been the best part of the day.”

At the Central Festival, Andrew Hill, age 9, from Harris Primary School in Preston, said: “I liked the archery and I love playing sport with my friends. The golf putters and chippers make it feel like it is real golf, and you can hit it high and far.”

Over the course of 18 years, SPAR, through its association with James Hall & Co. Ltd, has invested more than £250,000 into the Lancashire School Games and in 2023-24, the Games engaged 26,000 children in sport and activities across Lancashire.

Niels Dekkers, retail development director at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “It is fantastic seeing schoolchildren enjoy physical activity, as well as building important life skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem solving.

“I would like to congratulate Active Lancashire and the School Games Organiser Network on delivering another successful year of impactful games, competitions and activities. It has been another Games that we have been proud to sponsor with the SPAR brand.”

Andy Clark, schools partnership officer at Active Lancashire, said: “It really does bring home what the SPAR Lancashire School Games are all about when you so many young people at the summer finale enjoying physical activity while learning at the same time.

“Our cluster model of delivery this year has enabled us to reach even more children this year, especially those who do not regularly take part in physical activity. Our thanks go to SPAR and James Hall & Co. Ltd for their continued sponsorship and the efforts of our amazing School Games Organiser Network, without whom none of this would be achievable.”

James Hall & Co. Ltd is a fifth-generation family business which serves a network of independent SPAR retailers and company-owned SPAR stores across Northern England six days a week from its base at Bowland View in Preston.