Specsavers Youth Games to continue

Sunday 14 July 2019

Specsavers has confirmed it will keep sponsoring the Youth Games until the 2021 Island Games, which will be held in Guernsey, to encourage more young people to take up different activities.

The event is hosted biennially by Specsavers and the Guernsey Sports Commission. The 2019 event was held last month, with more than 550 children in school years 5 and 6 participating.

Overall, since the first Specsavers Youth Games were held in 2005, more than 3,000 children have been involved and participated.

They were all given the opportunity to 'establish new friendships, build their confidence and improve social and life skills, while getting free access to a new sport'.

The next event will take place on Saturday 22 May, 2021, with the closing ceremony being held at Footes Lane.

During the six weeks before that, coaching sessions will be held so the children can learn as much as possible about each sport as well as improve performance.

Pictured above and top: Children taking part in the 2019 Youth Games. Images provided by Specsavers. 

As work is currently underway to refurbish and improve the track at Footes Lane and designs for a new football stadium at Victoria Avenue were approved earlier this year, children taking part in the 2021 Youth Games will be able to use those facilities ahead of the Island Games. 

Dame Mary Perkins, who is also the chair of the Guernsey Games Organising Committee, said; "2021 is a very exciting year for Guernsey being the host island of the games, so we are delighted to continue our support of the youth games and we hope the event will inspire a new generation of Island Games competitors. 

"The atmosphere at this year’s youth games was electric and the smiles on the children’s faces made me realise what this event is all about – encouraging and nurturing sport among our young people in Guernsey, building their confidence, having fun and a chance for them to make new friends."