Schoolchildren launch the SPAR Lancashire School Games 2024-25!

Taking place at James Hall & Co. Ltd’s SPAR Distribution Centre at Bowland View in Preston, 50 children from across Lancashire launched the Games in style.

Team GB Paralympian and Panathlon Ambassador Nathan Maguire was the special guest speaker at the launch, and he impressed and inspired those present in equal measure with his life and career story.

He also brought in with him the medals which mean the most to him – his Tokyo Olympics silver medal and his Birmingham Commonwealth Games gold medal – with children having an opportunity hold them and have photographs with him and SPAR mascot SPARtan.

The SPAR Lancashire School Games has been rebranded for 2024-25 with an eye-catching new logo, and this was on T-shirts worn by children who launched the Games. They also had a tour of the warehouse and food production facilities and enjoyed a free SPAR lunch.

Ahead of the event, children across Lancashire were encouraged to think about how a good diet can combine with physical activity for healthier lifestyles. They were challenged to create a healthy recipe to be judged by the Store Manager at their local SPAR store.

The winner for the Pennine Lancashire cluster was Dylan Gibson, age 11, from Brunshaw Primary School in Burnley, for his Healthy Bucket creation. It was selected as the winner for containing three vegetable ingredients in it, and its incorporation of a giant Yorkshire Pudding acting as the bucket.

Dylan, who was presented with his prize of Buddy Oliver’s cookbook outside SPAR Todmorden Road in Burnley, said: “The recipe is one of my favourite dishes to eat and it is balanced with its mix of ingredients. It also reminds me of the meals we get at school which I enjoy.”

Active Lancashire and SPAR, through its association with James Hall & Co. Ltd, are continuing in partnership with the Lancashire School Games for a 19th year.

Niels Dekkers, Marketing and IT Director at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “We are very pleased to launch the SPAR Lancashire School Games again and it was a privilege to welcome Nathan Maguire to our depot as special guest to support the big day.

“We are also delighted with the outcome of the rebrand exercise. The new logo is clean, fresh and modern, and there is a nod to Lancashire with the red rose. It still has the target audience in mind while promoting a sense of achievement through its shield design.”

Adrian Leather, Chief Executive of Active Lancashire, said: “Each year the SPAR Lancashire School Games evolves, and I’m excited that our team at Active Lancashire and the School Games Organisers have a platform to build on after a brilliant first year of our new localised delivery model.

“It is doubly exciting that the Games now has new branding for 2024-25 to modernise its look and feel and reflect its more inclusive approach to sport. It is a fun logo, and the wording protruding through the edge of the shield I think mirrors the impact of the Games on children who push through boundaries during the activities they partake in across the academic year.”

Nathan Maguire said: “It was fantastic to be able to tell my story to a group of engaged children and give them words of encouragement that they can achieve whatever they want to in life and overcome whatever hurdles that life brings up along the way.

“I would like to thank Active Lancashire for the chance to speak, and James Hall & Co. Ltd for hosting me and for the chance to tour the amazing warehouse and facilities. It was an honour to support the launch of the Games out of the starting blocks for 2024-25, especially with its standout new branding which looks superb.”

Run by Active Lancashire and the School Games Organiser Network, the 2023-24 SPAR Lancashire School Games engaged 26,000 children in sport and activities across the county through 27 feature events and competitions.

Last year’s Games saw a new blueprint for its future with an increased focus on events being delivered in three distinct clusters in Lancashire – Coastal, Central, and Pennine – better aligned to local needs. After a successful first year, the 2024-25 Games will be delivered in the same format.

For more information about the Lancashire School Games, please visit the website at: www.lancashireschoolgames.co.uk