‘Save our Sports Week’ engages more than 900 children across Doncaster

The Foundation’s ‘Save our Sports Week’ drew to a close last week, having engaged more than 900 children across Doncaster and the surrounding areas. 

A series of daily activities and challenges were set for children to enjoy whether they were still at home or had started returning to the classroom, to allow them to experience a sports week which may otherwise have been lost due to Covid-19. 

Kelly Jackson-Powell, sports development officer at the Foundation, has praised the amount of people who took part and engaged with the activities.

She said: “The Sports Week was really well received by the Doncaster community and we’ve been able to engage a large number of children who wouldn't otherwise have been able to enjoy a sports day or sports week this year. 

“We’re delighted with the amount of people who got involved and the fact that the weather stayed nice for the week was a pleasant bonus!” 

Doncaster Rovers-themed prizes were awarded each day to the highest scorers in the daily challenge from Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. 

Children were encouraged to have a go at a number of traditional sports day activities, including the egg and spoon race and the bean-bag target throw. 

The 12 schools who registered for sports week were also asked to cover as many miles as they could from Monday to Friday as part of the ‘school distance challenge’, with the winning school receiving free enrichment activities delivered by Foundation staff. 

More than 900 children and 493 adults took part, totting up a combined distance of 5,581 miles; the equivalent distance from Doncaster to Los Angeles. 

Branton St Wilfrid’s were the winners of the distance challenge, having walked, cycled and ran over 1,300 miles throughout the week, with West Road Primary Academy also receiving free sessions as a reward for engaging the greatest number of children. 

Due to the success of the challenges, the Foundation will be now running weekly challenges throughout the six week holidays which will be available on our social media channels.