Ellie Simmonds launches Sainsbury’s “Show Your Support” campaign to kick start the Sainsbury’s School Games season

Ellie Simmonds launches Sainsbury’s “Show Your Support” campaign to kick start the Sainsbury’s School Games season

09 June 2014

Ellie Simmonds, four-time gold medallist Paralympian gets behind Sainsbury’s “Show Your Support” campaign. It calls for people to support their local schools and athletes competing in this year’s Sainsbury’s School Games highlighting the impact encouragement can have on performance.

“Show Your Support” will urge local communities across the UK to cheer on the young people taking part in Sainsbury’s School Games Festivals, which are being held in 50 counties across the country during June and July. A dedicated support vehicle will be travelling the country to encourage the public to pledge their messages of support, either broadcasting it across the bus or online using #2014SSG and on the campaign website: www.yourschoolgames.com

The Games have provided a springboard for many of today’s biggest names in sport. Previous competitors include Paralympic gold medallists Ellie Simmonds, Hannah Cockroft and Jonnie Peacock along with GB sprinter Adam Gemili, heptathlete Katrina Johnson-Thompson, and Olympic bronze medallist gymnasts Max Whitlock and Sam Oldham.

Ellie Simmonds, Active Kids ambassador for Sainsbury’s, said: “Support from my family and friends is hugely important and continues to help me in all aspects of my Paralympic career. The Sainsbury’s campaign ‘Show your Support’ is a great campaign that looks to motivate and support youth athletes at all levels, I’d urge as many people as possible to get behind their local young athletes to help them achieve their sporting goals.”

School Games Bus Shot

Mark Given, head of Brand Communication at Sainsbury’s, said: “I have great memories of the excitement around school sports day, and the Sainsbury’s School Games captures this excitement and provides a platform for young sports stars to really raise the bar.  Our ‘Show Your Support’ campaign is all about getting a crowd behind our future athletes, whether that be parents on the side line for an egg and spoon race at school sports day or a roaring stadium at the start of a 100 metre sprint.”

The Sainsbury’s School Games, which is backed by National Lottery funding through Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, are set across four levels with a major national event at the end of the summer. Across the year, young people also compete in a range of sport at class-v-class, school-v-school and in county wide sport festivals. It is fully inclusive and provides fantastic opportunities for young people to take part in competitive sport throughout the year.

This year, the Sainsbury’s School Games programme culminates in Manchester on the 4 - 7 September with 1,600 elite young athletes from across the country competing. More than 10,000 spectators are expected in Manchester to watch competitions in athletics, badminton, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, hockey, judo, rugby 7’s, swimming, table tennis, volleyball and wheelchair basketball. Of the 1,600 competing athletes, over 200 will be competing in disability events.

The Games, supported by a range of partners including the Sport England, the Youth Sport Trust, The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department of Health and British Paralympic Association.