EFDS Honorary President Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson backs Sports Fest North East
The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) Honorary President, Paralympic legend Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE has given her support to Sports Fest North East and called for people in the region to get involved by signing up for the free event, set to take place at Durham University on 5 March.
Grey-Thompson, who won 11 gold medals during a stellar career on the track, encouraged people to seize the opportunity to sign up to Sports Fest, open to all ages and impairment groups, and have a go at a wide range of sports.
She said:
“Bringing ParalympicsGB Sports Fest to the North East is a fantastic opportunity for people in the region to relight that spark and interest in disability sport that shone so brightly at London 2012 and try it for themselves. It is so important that we maintain the momentum from the home Games and the recognition that we should all be making sport a part of our everyday lives."
She continued:
“At Sports Fest, you can try out lots of Paralympic sports and find out what you enjoy, regardless of whatever sporting talent you may or may not have. It’s about having fun and making the most of this opportunity so that you can reap the benefits of a healthier lifestyle, get an idea of what Paralympic sport is all about and understand how much it has to offer."
Grey-Thompson was pleased to see that some of the North East’s brightest sporting talents had committed their support to Sports Fest, adding:
“It’s also great to see Jade Jones, Stephen Miller and Gemma Collis flying the flag for the North East and taking up the role of Sports Fest ambassadors. If anyone is curious about what it’s like to compete at an elite level there couldn’t be a better group of athletes to represent the North East on hand to share their experiences and give a bit of advice to those who might dream of one day representing their country at a Paralympic Games.”
Hosted by the British Paralympic Association (BPA), Sports Fest is a free event which provides the opportunity to fans across the region to ‘meet the medallists, try the sports, get inspired’.
EFDS and the National Disability Sport Organisations will be present so attendees can find out more about grassroots opportunities and programmes.
Tim Hollingsworth, Chief Executive of the BPA, added:
“I am absolutely delighted that Baroness Tanni has given her backing to Sports Fest. She remains an icon for the Paralympic movement worldwide and what can be achieved. We are incredibly proud of this event and the way in which it invites people of any age to come along and just give sport a try, whether they are completely new to sport or whether it’s already a part of their life and they want advice on how to progress further. The support in the region has been incredible so far and I look forward to a great turn out on the day.”
Sports Fest North East will take place at Durham University, The Graham Sports Centre, Maiden Castle, Durham on March 5 and the doors will be open from 10:00 – 17:00.
