Date for your diary

Poulton’s Community Christmas

Poulton Neighbourhood Management’s ‘Community Christmas’ has become something of a tradition. This year the event will be held on Thursday 8th December at 6.30pm. Last year there was a really good turn out - It was great to see so many of our local residents gathered around the arch in the park on Poulton Road. As usual, this year we will have children from the local primary schools taking part in a nativity tableau. There will also be carol singing accompanied by the Salvation Army Band and Christmas readings from local Churches.

Poulton Neighbourhood Management hopes you can join us for this occasion.

Young people from Poulton take part in Manchester Festival of Sport

Around 50 young people from Poulton joined in with the North West Street Games 2005 at the City of Manchester Stadium in August.

Overall, more than 650 young people aged under-16 from 12 regeneration areas from across the North West region took part in the day-long sporting extravaganza, which included athletics, duathalon, basketball, football, cricket, netball rugby and tennis. Street Games is a national initiative sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) to encourage young people to get involved in sport as part of attempts to regenerate deprived districts and create sustainable communities. More than 500 spectators also attended to cheer on the young sports stars. Local Government and Neighbourhood Renewal Minister Phil Woolas and Sports Minister Richard Caborn launched the North West Street Games 2005 at Sports City in Beswick before taking part in one of the day’s cricket sessions.

Phill Woolas said: “For many of the young people who come to Street Games the experience is one of their first opportunities to see what difference sport can make to their lives, to the places it can lead and the benefits it can bring. But these events are not just about individuals learning both new sport and social skills - they are about teams, about young people working together and building a sense of civic pride to take home. “

Richard Caborn said: “In a year when the UK won the right to stage the greatest sporting honour in the world - the Olympic Games - it’s fantastic to be able to attend events like the Street Games, where passion for sport and participation is obvious. Sport is a powerful thing - it brings people together in a way that little else can. I am certain that some of the young people taking part in the North West Street Games this year are our future Olympic medallists, perhaps winning gold in 2012.”

The City of Manchester stadium was also the home to last year’s North West Street Games, the region’s first. Sport4Life, a not-for-profit events management company working with the Government Office North West and the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit at the ODPM, delivered this year’s initiative.

Sport4Life managing director and Street Games organiser John Dwan said: “The North West Street Games has proved an extremely popular event with both participants and spectators. Many of the young people taking part in Street Games are not involved in local sports clubs or regular sporting activities. We hope that as a result of their participation they will experience the sense of achievement and success a day like this can bring, not just as individuals but also as a team. We also aim to encourage a lifelong commitment to sport and healthier lifestyles.”