Sunday 19 November 2000
Inspired by Britain's recent Olympic success, children in one of the West Central Scotland's most deprived communities will meet on Monday to take part in the first annual Possilpark mini-Olympics.
The event has been organised to celebrate the official opening of the Possilpark Millennium Centre which has been built with over £670,000 from sportscotland Lottery Fund. Children aged between 11 and 12 from four Possilpark primary schools will have the opportunity to take part in Olympic events from relay racing to javelin throwing.
Converted from an old school, the brand new £1.5m Centre features a state of the art fitness suite, aerobics area for dance and martial arts training, a sauna and steam room and a community cafe.
Alastair Dempster, Chairman of sportscotland, said: "Sport has far reaching benefits for the physical and social development of young people, and sportscotland is committed to getting more people more active, more often wherever they live.
"Through its Lottery Fund, sportscotland is committed to helping provide the quality facilities on their doorstep that are necessary to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a more active lifestyle.
"Events such as the Possilpark 'Mini-Olympics' also demonstrate how investing in our top athletes, and their subsequent success at the recent Olympics and Paralympics in Sydney, is encouraging youngsters to get active."
Schools taking part in the Mini Olympics are St Teresa's Primary, Wester Common Primary, St Cuthbert's Primary and Hawthorn Primary.
- Possilpark Millennium Centre is in the North Glasgow Social Inclusion Partnership. Social Inclusion partnerships were set up by the government to tackle social exclusion in areas of deprivation and special need and are a key target for investment by sportscotland