NHS Primary Care Network Sport Events
During the summer term in recent years, we have hosted our local NHS Primary Care Network for a number of Community Sports Days. The event has been a very informal sporting occasion that is not competitive in any way. Many of those who attend benefit from the opportunity of being outdoors and talking to others as much as the activities that are available. Having said that there are several who do like to compete with each other but also try to beat their previous years achievements. The afternoon is run by our pupil Sport Leaders and hosted and led by members of the Community Action Team.
Aims
To support the brilliant work of our local NHS Primary Care Network (PCN) whose aim is to bring together local GP practices to collaborate with other health and social care providers, delivering more integrated and accessible services to their local communities. Access to open spaces and the opportunity to exercise is hugely beneficial to improving health so offering our facilities, resources and campus to support those who would benefit from it is the aim of this partnership.
Background
As life started to return to normal after Covid, we invited our local NHS staff to one of our termly Garden Open Days as a thank you for all their work during the pandemic. At that meeting we made links with our local PCN and plans began for Blundell’s to host a Community Sports Day.
This is now an annual event and from the first afternoon, with around 10 ‘competitors’ numbers continue to grow each year. We run a series of ‘no pressure to compete’ events such as the 400m walk and talk, bean bag toss, egg and spoon race and the hula hoop challenge! Thinking on their feet, our pupils leading the events often have to adapt activities to ensure all abilities and ages have the opportunity to get involved. We are now planning events each term with our first indoor meeting when visitors will be playing Boccia.
Resources
A member of the sports staff who also runs outreach sport sessions in local schools liaises with our PCN contacts. Our Sports Leaders run the events and members of the Community Action Team (CAT) host and lead the visit, coordinating everything from parking and toilets to serving tasty refreshments.
Visits are arranged to use our existing facilities and resources at a time that minimises curriculum disruption. Visits are usually on sport afternoons or during our activity’s sessions from 4 to 5.30pm.
Impact
Some visitors are now regulars, having attended each of the events we have run. A great sign of the positive impact it has along with increasing numbers visiting each time. The PCN staff are very supportive and grateful of the events which adds to the wide range of opportunities they offer. One great example of the impact this partnership has is that of one lady who came to our first sports day.
Suffering from long Covid, she could not complete the 400m walk and talk without needing to sit on one of the chairs we have spaced around the track but returning the following year she completed the whole walk without needing to rest. The excitement and sense of achievement she showed made the pupils helping very much aware of the impact that volunteering to help others can have. For our pupils, they clearly benefit hugely from working with NHS professionals and members of the public. Some as part of their Sports Leader qualification, or Duke of Edinburgh’s Award others as part of their CAT service.
Pupil Involvement
Community Action Team membership is open to all from Year 7 to 13. Sport Leaders from Year 10 to 13.
Community Partnerships events are advertised to pupils through Microsoft Teams. Events are oversubscribed with willing Blundellians offering their service to help others.
Frequency
The Community Sports Day is usually one afternoon in June with other events taking place during the autumn and spring term as time, facilities, staffing and curriculum allow.
