YOUNGSTERS were under starters’ orders for a day of fun on Saturday, as the Reading Children’s Festival turned its attention to sport.
The Abbey School’s Junior School on Christchurch Road was the venue for the Reading Festival of Sport aimed at given people an opportunity to try a range of sports.
The event was opened by the mayor of Reading, Cllr Rachel Eden, and GB gymnast Kelly Simm, who shared her sporting journey which started when she was six and saw her called up for the national athletics team when she was 16.
She was part of a Commonwealth Games gold medal winning team.
She also led a gymnastics workshop, while other activities included netball, cricket, rugby, and dancing.
More than 100 children attended from 17 different schools and nurseries, with organisers saying it had been a fantastic morning of sport with perfect weather.
Will le Fleming, head of The Abbey School, said: “We are delighted to be creating opportunities for young people and girls in particular to get involved in sport and find an activity they love.
“The Reading Festival of Sport at The Abbey brings together passion and expertise in sport from across the Reading community. It was such a joy to see so much young enthusiasm to try something new, from gymnastics to just whacking it in cricket.
“We’re proud to be part of the programme of activities for this year’s Reading Children’s Festival.”
