Unusual Olympic sports from BMX to parkour were introduced to some of Newham’s most disadvantaged youngsters at a multisports festival.
National sports charity StreetGames organised the event held at the iconic Copper Box, home to handball, modern pentathlon fencing and goalball during London 2012.
About 200 youngsters aged between 12 and 25 years old enjoyed a range of taster sports sessions, including more than 40 from the activeNewham project.
Fiona Miley from activeNewham said, “Young people living in some of Newham’s most disadvantaged communities have not experienced sports like BMX and parkour before.
“An incredible 60 per cent of the Olympic park is based in Newham and events like these highlight the Olympic legacy in action.”
Jane Ashworth, CEO of StreetGames, said: “Young people tell us that they want a more vibrant and varied sporting offer and it’s important to give them the chance to leave their community and try new things. We hope that this inspiration will grow into a sporting habit for life.”
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