Community Games 2012
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games aren’t just about two weeks of sport in London; they’re a culmination of a four year celebration of culture and diversity in communities up and down the UK. Different regions of the country have created programmes that respond to this amazing opportunity, showcasing their unique identity and cultural heritage to the rest of the nation and the world, and above all, providing an opportunity for people in towns, cities and villages to take and play their part in the Olympic movement.Community Games are one of these programmes, and represent one practical way that you can get involved in this historic occasion. The programme draws on the original ideals of the modern Olympic movement, of bringing people of different backgrounds together to celebrate sporting and cultural achievement. By holding your own Community Games, the inspiration of London 2012 will be coming to your community!
What are Community Games?
Community Games provide a great opportunity for you to bring your community together to take part in sporting and cultural activities inspired by, and in celebration of, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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Community Games should be organised by a community, for the community, and communities of all shapes and sizes can stage Community Games. A community is defined by people in lots of different ways; as the organiser, you know what the community is that you want to engage and celebrate! Your Community Games might involve people in your street, regular users of a park or other public space, or people involved in a shared interest group or who have a shared cultural heritage.
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What to do?
It’s up to you to organise your Games in a way that works for you and celebrates the uniqueness of your community. This is from the setting – activity might take place in a park or inside a community centre – to the time of year and the type of activities run.
Some communities may focus on contests to give the event a competitive element, others may want to focus on giving people the opportunity to try something new, from archery to climbing.
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Whatever the focus of your Community Games, you should provide an opportunity for everyone in your community to participate. Holding a ceremony is a great way of opening or closing your event and celebrating the hard work that has gone into your Community Games. It’s also a great opportunity to showcase some of the cultural activity that goes on in your community or at the event.
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For more information and to register your event, go to www.communitygames.org.uk
For further details, please contact Katie Gatt, Surrey’s Community Games Coordinator on 01737 779979 or
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