Carlisle children and young people are being given urged to sign up and take part in an exciting event planned as part of the countdown to the London 2010 Olympics.

Carlisle City Council has organised a Mini-Games event at The Sheepmount Stadium - chosen as a potential training site for athletes taking part in the London 2012 Olympics - on Saturday, 24 July, between 10am and 5.30pm.

Open to all abilities, children and young people aged between 8 and 16 years old are able to take part.

In addition to competing in some of the main Olympic sports, there will also be expert tuition on hand to help develop sporting skills. Tullie House’s outreach team will also be taking part in the day’s activities and will be holding arts and crafts activities themed around the Olympics, including flag making workshops.

The event has received the ‘Inspire’ mark and has been accredited by The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) who is responsible for preparing and staging the 2012 Games.

Cllr Ray Bloxham, Portfolio holder for Local Environment, said:

“The event aims to inspire and create a lasting legacy across sport and culture. All the activities will be great fun to take part in and will lead up to a closing ceremony recognising the hard work put in by all those taking part during the day.”

The event will be an opportunity to try out different track and field events including shot put, high jump, long jump and javelin. Following the Olympic theme, there will also be an opportunity to try out other sports including rugby league, hockey, tennis and beatball (a variation on football).

The young people will have a record of the times and distances they achieve throughout the day’s events for them to keep for future records. It costs £1 to join in and a commemorative t-shirt will be available for everyone who takes an active part. To sign up, contact Carlisle City Council on 01228 817373.

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Notes to Editors:

The Sheepmount Stadium is featured in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Guide, published at the Beijing Games. The ‘Guide’ contains high quality elite sporting facilities from across the UK and will give teams and individual athletes a great selection of venues from which they can choose to prepare for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Guide has been circulated to all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs).