SPAR and Active Lancashire launch the Lancashire School Games

By James Hall & Co. Ltd

17 Mar 2023

Spar Lancashire School Games 2022 23 Launch 1

The SPAR Lancashire School Games 2022-23 have been launched in style with support from dozens of schoolchildren from across the Red Rose County. 

Held at James Hall & Co. Ltd’s SPAR Distribution Centre in Preston, more than 60 children were invited to launch the event with Active Lancashire and the School Games Organiser Network, which runs the games throughout the academic year for the 17th year of the SPAR Lancashire School Games. 

Schoolchildren from across Lancashire were greeted at the event by the SPAR mascot who was on hand to pose for photographs too. 

There was an inspiring personal account shared by School Games Ambassador Kieran Tait on the impact of the Games on him, and in the week of International Women’s Day 2023, retired hockey star Charlotte Hartley made a guest appearance to share her professional career story.

Charlotte, from Burnley, won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in 2006 representing England, and she also took the time to do a short Q&A session with the schoolchildren. 

Talks were also provided by James Hall & Co. Ltd directors Niels Dekkers and Fiona Drummond, and Active Lancashire chief executive Adrian Leather, on the importance of the Games and their value to SPAR. 

Children and school staff then enjoyed a full tour of the James Hall & Co. Ltd warehouse and were treated to a SPAR branded lunch. 

In 2022-23, Active Lancashire will continue to provide events within the SPAR Lancashire School Games that will help young people recover from the effects of the pandemic while supporting those who may have been impacted the most. The Games will culminate with a celebration finale held in Blackpool’s Stanley Park in July. 

The 2021-22 academic year was the first time in three years that a full programme of activities was able to be put on because of the pandemic, and the Games engaged more than 21,000 children.

SPAR is sponsoring the Lancashire School Games for the 17th consecutive year through its association with James Hall & Co. Ltd, SPAR UK’s primary wholesaler and distributor for the North of England.

Niels Dekkers said: “It was a pleasure to host the launch of the SPAR Lancashire School Games at our Preston depot, the first time we have been able to do this in several years due to the pandemic.

“In alignment with our brand values, we are proud to place SPAR’s name in support of the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles across Lancashire through the Games, particularly among the younger population.

“By holding the launch at our distribution centre, we were delighted to show schoolchildren what we do as a business having seen what benefits the Games delivered for them in 2021-22.”

Adrian Leather said: “With the triumphant return of the SPAR Lancashire School Games in 2021-22, a return to normality never felt so good, and it was fantastic to have such strong engagement in the Games last year.

“There is still a tremendous amount of recovery work to do to support young people across Lancashire to participate in physical activity after the pandemic, and it is testimony to the hard work of the School Games Organiser Network who help us deliver this day in and day out to meet that demand.

“We also cannot achieve this without the unwavering support of SPAR and James Hall & Co. Ltd, and I would like to thank them sincerely for their continued sponsorship of the Games, and for hosting us with a successful launch event.”

James Hall & Co. Ltd 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.

You can find out more about James Hall & Co. Ltd at www.jameshall.co.uk.

For more information about Active Lancashire, please visit www.activelancashire.org.uk.

Latest news

1

Villa at Wrea Green bought for £3.6m by Haythornthwaite family The Villa Wrea Green courtesy of The Villa Wrea Green

Villa at Wrea Green bought for £3.6m by Haythornthwaite family

16 Sep 2025

2

Fourth Lancashire Bodycare store to shut Nick Holloway of administrators Interpath

Fourth Lancashire Bodycare store to shut

16 Sep 2025

3

Family business relocates in Blackburn Tristar relocation

Family business relocates in Blackburn

16 Sep 2025

4

Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2026 open for applications Taste Lancashire Producers awards

Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2026 open for applications

15 Sep 2025

5

Stuart Buckley appointed head of sales and account management at Netcentrix Stuart Buckley

Stuart Buckley appointed head of sales and account management at Netcentrix

15 Sep 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs
Sub36 Deaf Village Social1200
Networking
17 Sep 2025

Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs

The Deaf Village, Blackburn, BB2 5EN

10:00 - 12:00

LBV124 September/October Launch Event
MBP Arc Cinema Preston Opening 205
Networking
18 Sep 2025

LBV124 September/October Launch Event

The Arc Cinema, Preston, PR1 2BL

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

Business Breakfast Networking Event
business workshop photo.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

Business Breakfast Networking Event

Media Factory, University of Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 10:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

Ladies Lunch
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
18 Sep 2025 - 18 Sep 2025

Ladies Lunch

Lancaster Golf Club, Lancaster, LA2 0AJ

12:00 - 16:00

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
Chorley Council breakfast event new
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Worden Hall, Leyland, PR25 3DH

08:00 - 11:00

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September
Sept Freelancer (1).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Speed Networking with BNI
2.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
24 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Speed Networking with BNI

Chorley Football Club, Chorley, PR7 3DU

16:00 - 19:00

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September
TMM Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September

Chorley, PR7 2SL

18:00 - 20:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin