Community Games Relay

Day 51 - Monday 8th July 2013

The event took place at Luton Town & Indians Cricket Club.

A Golden Legacy Weekend is taking place across Luton and Bedford on the 6th - 7th July, with a Positive Action Event taking place on the 8th July. The presentation to the Shining Light will take place at the culmination of the Bedfordshire Disability Cricket League in Luton and a Women's Sports Day (targeting Muslim women) in Bedford. The event will be opened by Paralympic Dodgeball player Nikki Stanton and at the end of the final, the Shining Light will present the cup and medals to the winners and runners up of the first Disability Cricket League.

Shining Light: Tina Ashby

Tina, 38, used to run her own nursery, which she set up with help from the Prince’s Trust. Tina had an accident two years ago and following an operation on her ankle, has many health problems and is in constant pain. She does a great deal of voluntary work, including being the vice chair of governors at the local school, on the school interviewing panel and on the users committee at Hockwell Ring Community Centre, which helps support her husband who has severe depression. The reason Tina wanted to be involved in the Community Games and hold the two day festival was because in the area surrounding Leagrave Primary School there is a lot of deprivation and she wanted to be able to give the children and families there two days where they could get involved in activities that normally they would not be able to do. Tina wanted to demonstrate above all else that where ever you are from and whatever your background you can be someone and make something of your life. Tina is a Star!

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Day 52 - Tuesday 9th July 2013

The event took place at Dorney Lake, home of the Rowing at London 2012.

The Shining Light will be presented with their jersey on the bridge at Dorney Lake, with the Olympic rings and Agitos in the background.

Shining Light: Leanne Kittel

Leanne, 40, works as a Nursing Sister and Practice Manager for Thames Valley Vasectomy Services, and she is a passionate and active member of the Dorney Reach village community. She has played an integral role in bringing the village together in the lead up to, during and since London 2012. Last year, Leanne organised three separate Community Games, encompassing a wide range of activities, to engage the whole community. The first event, held over the Jubilee weekend was a party at the centre of Dorney. The second was a Mini-Olympics Games Day which offered 100s of people the chance to try out sports for free and the third was traditional Sports Day which saw old favourite playground games and sports reintroduced back into the school for local schoolchildren to enjoy. It also served to strengthen the school’s ties with the local community. Leanne is continuing her fantastic work with another Community Games this year to mark the anniversary of London 2012.

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Day 53 - Wednesday 10th July 2013

The event took place at Horpath Athletics Track, which is the venue for the Wheels for All inclusive cycling programme.

Oxfordshire Sports Partnership will be recognising the leadership of its young volunteers who have been inspired to run a Community Games in 2013 after the success of London 2012. The event will promote an inclusive sports programme embracing the ideals of the Paralympics and celebrate the Shining Light.

Shining Light: Tom Maxwell

Tom, 16, is at Cherwell School Oxford, doing AS levels in physics, geography, history and economics, as well as running OxonCarts – Oxford's Rickshaw company – as a part time job. On a voluntary basis, Tom helps organise a Community Games event in Oxford called Oxford Bike Fest, an innovative event that celebrates the Paralympic Games. Tom is a keen cyclist and has organised a few monthly bike related activities over the last year or two. An impressive CV for anyone, let alone for someone so young.

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Day 54 - Thursday 11th July 2013

One year on from the Olympic Torch arriving in Berkshire, this event took place at the Slough YMCA.

Get Berkshire Active and Slough YMCA will be celebrating the anniversary of the Olympic Torch Relay with sports activities for local people, delivered by a number of partner organisations. Activities will include badminton, football, athletics, music, dance, arts and crafts, tennis taekwondo, wrestling, kung fu, touch rugby, hockey, table tennis and gymnastics. There will be information and advice for people about local clubs, ways to get active, health and active travel, the local PCSO team’s ‘bike initiative’, and 2013 Community Games Organisers will be on hand to advocate the benefits of Community Games to others. Local catering companies will be providing food from different cultures and some elite athletes will be making an appearance, including Olympic Bronze medal winning hockey player Hannah Macleod, who will present the Shining Light with their jersey

Shining Light: Rose Dalton

Rose, 66, ran an inspiring Community Games last year and is currently planning this year’s event. It is a 24 hour Relay for Life, raising money for their charity, as well as providing a variety of activities. Both Rose and her husband also mentor and train people around the country on how to run their own Relay for Life and support new volunteers.

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Day 55 - Friday 12th July 2013

The event was a photo-shoot at Caen Hill Locks, a popular tourist destination with a fantastic cycle trail.

During the photo shoot the Shining Light will be presented with their jersey by the Wiltshire and Swindon CSP Chief Executive. The event is linked with Sport Makers and all the volunteers organising the event have been on a workshop.

Shining Light: Margaret Nightingale

Margaret is a volunteer working with Cycle Devizes and has been supporting cycling in the local area for many years. She delivered a Cycle on the Green event in June.

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Day 56 - Saturday 13th July 2013

Active Dorset's local volunteers organised a large Community Games event at Ensbury Park.

This will be the middle day of a Middle of a three- day Community Games, part of the Bournemouth Festival of Sport, which includes a national cycling competition. There will be lots of free coaching in association with local clubs and a skatefest at the local skate park. There will be a presentation to the Shining Light, with various VIPs in attendance.

Shining Light: Danny Cordell

Danny is an IT Apprentice at Parvalux Electric Motors. Despite only being 17, a father to a 3 month old baby and a leader with the Scouts, Danny has volunteered his time to help organise this large three-day Community Games event. Danny brings a breath of fresh air, good ideas, a willingness to make things a reality and has proved as good as his word every time.

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Day 57 - Sunday 14th July 2013

The event was a Community Games press event at Southampton Marina.

A 'Press Preview' for a Community Games that is being held on 27 July in Eastleigh, at Pavilion on the Park, is taking place, and Geoff Holt – a high profile local sportsman and 2012 Torchbearer – will present the jersey to the Shining Light. The invited media will then have the opportunity to take a trip on Geoff's Wetwheels boat. Also present will be volunteers from the Eastleigh Community Games event, to showcase the event.

Shining Light: Daisy Brookman

Daisy is Eastleigh Borough Council’s Community Development Manager at Pavilion on the Park. Despite her young age (28) Daisy has a strong history of, and passion for, helping others. Following a troubled childhood, Daisy gained qualifications to attend university, throughout which she volunteered to help those less fortunate. After graduating, she managed the Street Reach programme in Winchester, supporting young people at risk of homelessness, unemployment and criminal activity plus young carers and young people in care. She accessed grants in excess of £30K for this project. Daisy set up the Activity Buddy Scheme three years ago to train volunteers to support disabled people access sports and leisure activities. This currently involves 30 disabled users. Daisy also set up and obtained grant funding to develop the Cycles for All project, which enables children and adults with disabilities to cycle. Volunteers support users with specially adapted cycles, Currently this supports 50 children and adults with disabilities every week. For several years Daisy has delivered dance, film and drama classes to adults with physical and learning disabilities at local day centres, including the Hexagon and Bishopstoke Day Centre.

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Day 58 - Monday 15th July 2013

The event took place at YMCA Fairthorne Manor’s new family park.

The event will be a celebration of the relay leaving Hampshire, with live music, sports and a barbeque.

Shining Light: Kelly Phipp

Kelly has been nominated as the Shining Light because of her positive attitude to life and achievement despite the difficulties that she has experienced. She is a role model and an inspiration to other people. When Kelly was pregnant she discovered that she had a cancerous brain tumour that was operated on once she had had the baby. During the operation she suffered a stroke, which has resulted in her having limited movement in the left hand side of her body. Because of all her difficulties the baby was taken into care, but Kelly now has regular contact with her child and is hopefully going to get him back once suitable accommodation is found for them. Kelly has achieved this by fully engaging with support, therapy services and care support. Despite what Kelly has gone through, she has always kept positive and strived to get her child back. She has volunteered for the YMCA, helping to fundraise and in tenant forum representation.

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Day 59 - Tuesday 16th July 2013

This was a joint event with Kent Sport on the border of the two counties at Bewl Water.

The event is taking place between 11.00am and 2.00pm, in partnership with the Kent County Council Youth Service Outdoor Centre based at the reservoir. Boats from the centre will be sailed and paddled to the border and both counties’ CSP officials and staff will be present to hand over the jerseys to the two Shining Lights. A small reception will be held at the centre following the presentations.

Shining Light: Amanda Wilkins

Amanda, although past retirement age, supplements her pension working as a freelance writer for an American website, which helps her to fund her volunteer projects in Sussex. Amanda has been involved in sport her whole life but her recent accomplishments include being a London 2012 Games Maker, working on the London Marathon, Brighton Half Marathon and Brighton Marathon. After the Olympics she decided to become a Sport Maker. Through this programme she has been volunteering locally and is a pioneer for sport in Newhaven. Trying to get more people active in the local community, she has organised many walks and has qualified as an official walk leader. She is trying out rounders taster sessions and is mow organising a Community Games – a traditional sports day at the Newhaven Fish Festival. She truly flies the flag for community sport and is an excellent role model for the older generation, showing what can be achieved at both a local and national level. She is looking to the future and is hoping to be involved in next year’s Winter Olympics.

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Day 60 - Wednesday 17th July 2013

This was a joint event with Active Sussex on the border of the two counties at Bewl Water.

Shining Light: Daniel Bromley

Daniel, 24, had previously volunteering with Kent Sport, and after finishing his University degree in Sports Science, applied for and secured a Gap Year role with the Team. Daniel supported the Community Games programme in 2012, undertaking many tasks from negotiating with partners to completing reporting and monitoring forms. In the first year of the programme Daniel's assistance ensured the requirements were fulfilled and the targets met. Daniel was keen to volunteer his time to support the Community Games programme to help gain experience and an understanding of the sector and a national programme.

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