This in from the council, in their own words. Ed
The Isle of Wight Council Sports Unit has secured funding from the County Sports Partnership Network to help deliver Community Games projects on the Isle of Wight. Inspired by London 2012, the Community Games scheme is all about bringing people together to take part in and experience sporting and cultural activities. It also provides groups with advice and help in organising sporting games, along with free equipment hire.
Community Games
Organisers may focus on contests to give their event a competitive element, others may want to focus on giving people the opportunity to try something new. Whatever the focus of the Community Games, they should provide an opportunity for everyone in a community to participate.
The Community Games programme aims to capture the core values of the Olympic and Paralympic movements. For the Olympics, these are: excellence, friendship and respect. For the Paralympics, these are: determination, courage and inspiration.
Councillor Shirley Smart, cabinet member for tourism and economy, said:
“This is a great opportunity for event organisers such as schools, community groups, town and parish councils to access funding to help bring a fun and active element to their events, bringing local communities together.”
Criteria
Anyone can apply for funding through the scheme as long as their event:
– is community-driven;
– is local, accessible and convenient;
– is multi-activity;
– is fun, friendly and open to all;
– signposts participants to further opportunities to both participate and volunteer in new sporting and cultural activities;
– reflects and celebrates the community’s diversity.
If you are thinking of planning an event and would like to find out more about the scheme, please visit the Community Games website www.communitygames.org.uk or contact the council’s sports unit on (01983) 823818 or email [email protected].
Image: CJ Isherwood under CC BY 2.0
