Hundreds of children from schools across Bristol made memories to last a lifetime at Bristol Sport Foundation’s Celebration of Sport at Ashton Gate Stadium.

The Foundation welcomed 21 schools to the home of Bristol City Football Club and Bristol Bears for a fun-filled sporting extravaganza on Thursday (May 4th).

More than 700 excited children had the opportunity to experience football, tag rugby, cricket, handball, jailbreak, gymnastics, basketball, netball, Kabaddi and dodgeball at seven stations around the stadium during an action-packed day in BS3.

The schools in attendance included Abbotswood, Ashley Down, Birdwell, Bowsland Green, Brunel Field, Cadbury Heath, Chew Stoke, Coniston, Holy Trinity, Little Stoke Northleaze, Oasis Long Cross, Oasis Connaught, Somerdale, Southville, St Joseph’s, St Peters, Walscourt Farm Academy, Wansdyke, Woodlands and Wick Primary School.

A team of volunteers from Hargreaves Lansdown also provided support to Foundation coaches on the day.

Steve Lansdown CBE, Founder of Bristol Sport Foundation, said: “When you see all the children out there screaming, shouting and enjoying themselves, you see what it’s all about.

“I’ve always found with any business, you have your business, you have your clients, your customers and you have to look after them, you have to look after your business, but most importantly you have to look after the community you’re working within.

“For Bristol City Football Club, Bristol Bears, Bristol Flyers, this is our community, and we have an obligation to look after our community and do the best for them whatever social scale they sit on and to work with other businesses to do the best we can for current generations and future generations – and make things happen for them.

“I look at the Bristol Sport Foundation as a hub, a hub which works with the Robins Foundation, the Bears Foundation and the Flyers Community, as well as other charities and government organisations so education, health and all aspects of life.

“Sport brings people together and it’s a great way of making people aware of what can be achieved and if you take a look at the kids out there you can see the smiles on their faces.

“The teams within the Foundations work so hard and that’s the thing I get the most enjoyment out of. I like seeing Bristol City, Bears and Flyers win and the excitement of the game but to see the results of what happens within the community, the enjoyment they get from us being here, us working with them, encouraging them, keeping the kids in education and creating better people through sport – is really what it’s all about for me and I’m so proud and pleased to be able to support it in the way I do now and will do in the future.”

Friday (May 5th) saw another 400 children from a dozen schools take part in a Jailbreak Cup event at Ashton Gate, rounding off Celebration of Sport in style following events hosted by the Robins Foundation and Bristol Bears Community Foundation earlier in the week.

Ben Breeze, Bristol Sport Foundation Chief Executive Officer, said: “Everyone at the Foundation looks forward to Celebration of Sport every year and it’s been another fantastic occasion that has highlighted exactly why we do what we do week in, week out.

“The smiles on the faces of the hundreds of children who have had the opportunity to run out on the hallowed turf of Ashton Gate say it all. We’re all about inspiring our young people and local communities in Greater Bristol to live active, healthy and happy lives through sport and that’s exactly what Celebration of Sport has done this week.”