One thousand children take part in SPAR Lancashire School Games finale

Around 1,000 children enjoyed celebratory finale events as the SPAR Lancashire School Games concluded for an 18th year.

A Party in the Park in Burnley, a Blackpool Zoo Orienteering Festival, and a Central Festival in Preston saw the games finish in style.

Activities held across the three events included a traditional sports day, a creative dance production, outdoor activities, target sports, quad kids athletics, orienteering, football skills, crown green bowling, scootering, tennis skills, and kayaking.

The last academic year saw the Games reformatted with an increased focus on organising events and competitions in three distinct clusters in Lancashire – Coastal, Central, and Pennine.

Over the course of 18 years, SPAR, through its association with James Hall & Co, has invested more than £250,000 into the Lancashire School Games. In 2023-24, the Games engaged 26,000 children in sport and activities across Lancashire.

Niels Dekkers, retail development director at James Hall & Co, said: “It is fantastic seeing schoolchildren enjoy physical activity, as well as building important life skills such as communication, teamwork and problem solving.

“I would like to congratulate Active Lancashire and the School Games Organiser Network on delivering another successful year of impactful games, competitions and activities. It has been another Games that we have been proud to sponsor with the SPAR brand.”

James Hall & Co is a fifth-generation family business which serves a network of independent SPAR retailers and company-owned SPAR stores across Northern England six days a week from its base at Bowland View in Preston.