SPAR Lancashire School Games tackle lockdown inactivity

13 Aug 2020

In response to COVID-19, Active Lancashire and the SPAR Lancashire School Games launched a virtual programme of activities to ensure that children across the county had access to a structured sport timetable throughout lockdown.

Designed around the P.E. curriculum for three main age groups (Year 1-2, Year 3-6 and teenagers), the ten week ‘Stay at Home Heroes’ timetable included daily online resources and celebrity video features including former British middleweight champion, Brian ‘The Lion’ Rose, professional paraplegic adventurer, Shaun Gash, and the team of Lancashire School Games Organisers.

Dominic Holroyd, Children and Young People Development Officer at Active Lancashire said, “COVID-19 has had a significant impact on children’s physical and mental health during lockdown. The closure of schools, sport clubs and sporting facilities created a huge barrier for children and young people to access the physical, psychological and social benefits of taking part in regular sporting activity.

“Many children do not have gardens or easy access to green spaces and Sport England found that for many families, the activity levels of children depend hugely on the activity levels of their parents. We also know that those living in areas of deprivation or BAME backgrounds are less likely to be active than those who are from affluent areas or from White British backgrounds.

“With this in mind,” Dominic explained, “the SPAR Lancashire School Games virtual programme provided parents, teachers and carers with a fun, eclectic mix of sporting and cognitive challenges to work into their daily home schooling routine, or for those caring for keyworkers’ children. All challenges were designed to be easily adaptable at home i.e. swapping rounders bats for rolling pins and using toilet roll as obstacle points.”

Last year, the SPAR Lancashire School Games engaged over 100,000 children across Lancashire, with 2,500 attending the county finals event at Stanley Park in Blackpool. This year’s virtual programme was hosted through the games’ website and social media channels, and the county finals took place online, in the form of a virtual sports day.”

Dominic added, “The virtual sports day included a celebration dance-along and innovative challenges set by the Lancashire School Games Organisers and football freestyler and world record holder, John Farnworth. Schools and parents sent in hundreds of pictures and videos, showcasing home obstacle courses, hurdles and football tournaments, bike challenges and even family pets getting involved!

“It has been fantastic to see over 10,000 children taking part in the virtual sports day and teachers using the resources within their school timetables. The programme saw over 41,700 people visiting the website, 30,000 video views on YouTube and 19,200 hours of video watched on Facebook.

“The ten week programme is still available to access on the SPAR Lancashire School Games website, is completely free to use, and can be used throughout the summer holidays to ensure children remain active and engaged in sport.”

James Hall & Co., SPAR wholesaler for the north of England, is celebrating its fourteenth year of sponsorship for the SPAR Lancashire School Games this year.

Peter Dodding, Sales and Marketing Director at James Hall & Co. said, “A huge thank you to the Lancashire School Games Organisers and Active Lancashire for making the virtual programme a reality.

“The team reacted incredibly quickly, adapting to a new digital format and working hard to ensure the spirit and ethos behind the SPAR Lancashire School Games could continue during lockdown.

“Being active and using sport as a way to cope with stress and anxiety has never been more important, and we are thrilled that the SPAR Lancashire School Games has been able to reach so many schools and families across the county to drive home this message and promote healthy, active lives.”

Access the free resources here – www.lancashireschoolgames.co.uk or find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

SPAR Lancashire School Games celebration video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdRuNnjzN0g

Latest news

1

Final call for investors: Rossendale community solar project must hit target by November Gary McEwan managing director of Interfloor

Final call for investors: Rossendale community solar project must hit target by November

10 Sep 2025

2

Lancashire Combined County Authority unveil plan to Get Lancashire Working Lancashire Combined Authority

Lancashire Combined County Authority unveil plan to Get Lancashire Working

10 Sep 2025

3

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and BAE Systems’ FalconWorks announce strategic collaboration Collaboration between BAE Systems FalconWorks and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and BAE Systems’ FalconWorks announce strategic collaboration

09 Sep 2025

4

High street retailers urged to ‘take advantage’ of new funded support programme Brian Moore, Lee Johnson, Anne Williamson and Andrew Leeming

High street retailers urged to ‘take advantage’ of new funded support programme

08 Sep 2025

5

Beaverbrooks invest in the high street in difficult conditions Mark Adlestone And Anna Blackburn Beaverbrooks

Beaverbrooks invest in the high street in difficult conditions

08 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 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

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

Longridge Soap Box Derby
Screenshot 2025-06-10 090035.png.png
LBV Hub Fundraisers
14 Sep 2025 - 14 Sep 2025

Longridge Soap Box Derby

Berry Lane, Longridge, PR3 3WH

10:00 - 16:30

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!
Preston Tech Connection Sept 25.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Sep 2025 - 16 Sep 2025

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:00

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

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

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

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

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 LBV 123 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin