Welcome to the latest Edition of the Relay Magazine


Welcome to this ninth edition of your school sport magazine where we have a look back at this summer’s County School Games Festival along with several other features reflecting the wider variety of school sport in our County.


In July, Marlborough College once again hosted the County finals of the School Games which saw several schools reaching the finals for the first time. The 2017 competition programme, which started back in January, saw around 3,000 young people taking part as athletes, volunteers or in the cultural


programme. Congratulations to the pupils of Ramsbury Primary School who were the overall winners of this year’s Primary competition and students of Bishops Wordsworth’s, the winners of the Secondary programme. Planning is well advanced for the 2018 programme which will feature a new winter sports festival, hosted by Dauntsey’s School and two new sports Modern Triathlon and Dodgeball.


In this edition you will also find information on updates from the Department of Education on the PE and Sports Premium and


Volunteering programme along with features on the Avon Valley and Chippenham Sport Partnerships. We also have features on the first Rainbow Shower event that took place at Lavington School and a research project


looking into young people’s views and experiences of sport and leisure in Swindon.


Steve Boocock, CEO Wiltshire and Swindon Sport


The Wiltshire and Swindon School Games County Summer Finals 2017


Sam Goring and Harvey Austin from Abbeyfield School were our comperes at the opening ceremony. They stole the show with their exuberance and humour drawing everyone’s attention to the stage. They introduced two exciting dance performances from Redlands Primary School and Bratton Primary School, which both brought the ceremony to life and had everyone clapping along to the music.


5th July saw 1,500 young athletes, and 200 young volunteers, representing 76 schools competing in this year’s Wiltshire and Swindon School Games at Marlborough College. The Games comprised of 14 sports as part of a year-round School Sports Competition Programme supported by the National Lottery and Sport England.


This year’s Sporting Champion was modern pentathlete Heather Fell. Heather achieved a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics Games and was also World Champion that year. She gave a passionate speech in the opening ceremony, inspiring the young athletes about how she achieved her life time goal representing her country in the 5 different events that make up


Young Leaders


the Modern Pentathlon. After her motivating speech, Heather was eager to show her enthusiastic character, getting involved with the energetic warm up with Caroline ‘The Dance Lady’. Our young athletes, teachers and volunteers clearly enjoyed the ‘dance warmup!’. Athletes were also joined by the Mayor of Marlborough Mervyn Hall, Mayor of Swindon, Maureen Penny and David Hemery CBE, Wiltshire’s Deputy Lieutenant. David was the 1968 Olympic 400m hurdles gold medallist. He and Heather were able to meet many of the young people involved in the competition and presented medals to the winners of the Athletics events.


Primary Tennis 2 Wiltshire and Swindon Relay


The event was organised by Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP) in conjunction with the School Games Organisers, National Governing Bodies


David Hemery CBE and Heather fell


for Sport and Wiltshire Council, along with many other partners who make this competition possible. There were also in attendance Young Leaders from many schools supporting officials from Wilts ASA, RFU, LTA, Golf Foundation, Quadkids, Wiltshire Squash as well as volunteers from county associations and local clubs. WASP CEO Steve Boocock said “The School Games


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