Sheffield to host Special Olympics
SHEFFIELD will host the Special Olympics GB 2017 National Summer Games.
It will be the second time the multi-sports event, expected to attract 2,000 athletes, 500 voluntary coaches, 500 volunteers and an estimated 5,000 family members has been held in the city and it is expected that the economic benefit will be in the region of £1.5m.
Venues for the games, held in August 2017, will include the Sheffield Hallam University City Athletics Stadium, Sheffield City Trust’s Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Concord Sports Centre, Graves Tennis and Leisure Centre and the English Institute of Sport Sheffield and Forge Valley School.
Special Olympics GB is the largest registered charity providing year-round sports training and competition opportunities for people with intellectual (learning) disabilities. Almost 1.2m people in the UK (2% of the population) have an intellectual disability.
Special Olympics GB’s National Summer Games is the showpiece event held every four years for the organisation and its athletes.
In this country, Special Olympics Great Britain serves more than 8,000 registered athletes annually through almost 150 volunteer-led local clubs and 19 regions. Special Olympics GB is also a registered charity and is supported annually by individual and corporate donations.
Councillor Julie Dore, leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Sheffield has been selected to host the Special Olympics GB National Summer Games in three years’ time.
“The decision is testament to the fact that Sheffield is a great sporting city, home to the sort of world-leading venues that befit a highly prestigious event such as this.
“From world-class venues such as the English Institute of Sport Sheffield and Ponds Forge, to the award-winning Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield really does have it all.
“However, this isn’t just about places, but about people. ‘Sheffielders’ are well known for their love of sport, in what is our welcoming and inclusive city.
“This is another opportunity for our communities to get involved in a wonderful celebration of all things sporting.”
Sheffield City Council will be delivering the event in partnership with the Sheffield City Trust (SCT) charity group, Marketing Sheffield, (which will be leading the accommodation aspect of the Games), the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, South Yorkshire Sport and Activity Sheffield.
Karen Wallin, Special Olympics GB’s CEO, said: “We are thrilled to be heading back to Sheffield. We are looking forward to the support of the local people and businesses of Sheffield as this very significant sporting event will require a large amount of assistance and energy.
“We are sure that the great city of Sheffield will provide a very successful and hugely memorable event for our athletes, their families, coaches and volunteers.”
Steve Brailey, chief executive of SCT, said: “We are incredibly proud to be bringing this inspirational event to Sheffield and to be supporting Special Olympics GB as part of our own charitable objectives.
“The economic impact of hosting such a global sporting competition will be significant, with thousands of athletes, officials, volunteers and spectators expected in Sheffield for the six-day event.”
