The
South East Primary School ‘Games’ was launched on
Wednesday 26th October 2011 at the SEELB headquarters in the
presence of amongst others: the Mayor of Castlereagh Borough Council,
Mr Jim White; the Deputy Mayor of North Down Borough Council, Mr
Alan Leslie; Chair of Lisburn City Council Leisure Services, Mr Thomas
Beckett; Senior Education Officer at the SEELB, Mrs Alice Lennon; and
the pupils from Cairnshill Primary School and St. Joseph’s Primary
School, Carryduff.
The ‘Games’ which are being jointly organised by the South Eastern Education and Library Board, Ards Borough Council, Castlereagh Borough Council, Down District Council, Lisburn City Council and North Down Borough Council aim to promote and celebrate physical activity and sport in primary schools in the South Eastern area in the build up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Five different events have been selected: Basketball; Cross Country; Olympic Handball; Sports Hall Athletics and Tag Rugby. Between January and April 2012 the five Council areas will each host heats in the five different events. The top 2/3 boys' and girls' teams in each of the Council heats will go on to compete in the South Eastern ‘Finals’ events in May/June 2012.
The South East and Primary School ‘Games’ has also been awarded the prestigious Inspire mark by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). The Inspire mark is the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme – a UK-wide participation initiative which recognises innovative and exceptional non-commercial projects which are inspired by the 2012 Games .The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is responsible for delivering the Inspire programme in Northern Ireland, as part of its wider strategy to create a local legacy from the 2012 Games.
Alice Lennon, Senior Education Officer at the SEELB, thanked the Board’s partners in the 5 local Councils for coming together to jointly organise such a worthwhile and exciting initiative which hopes to celebrate the forthcoming London 2012 Games amongst our young people. Alice also welcomed the pupils from both schools and stated that ‘We want all our young people who participate in the South East Primary School Games to be part of its legacy and to develop into confident, responsible and successful individuals with the help of our education professionals in schools and through the continued co-operation of our colleagues in the five local Councils'.
Pupils from both schools took part in an exhibition of Olympic Handball drills and games in the Gymnasium.
For further information contact: Neil McGivern, Assistant Advisory Officer, SEELB, email neil.mcgivern@seelb.org.uk or telephone 02890566594