To celebrate the extension of our London Marathon Community Trust Sports Programme, families, friends and neighbours of all ages from all around Thames View & Barking Riverside gathered together for a sports day event, filled with fun and fitness activities at The Warehouse on Thames Road.
The day started off with a taster session of Learning By Playing with Romarjo, which was a hit among the young children. The kids had a great time learning to perfect their balance and new skills in a fun and interactive way.
After the taster session, everyone took a break to refuel with some healthy snacks. There was a variety of food available, including fruits, sandwiches, wraps, quiche, and more. Thank you to the young resident Donell who manned the smoothie station and custom made the smoothies according to people’s preferences. They were delicious, healthy and a hit with everyone!
Next up was the traditional sports day games, which included the classic sack race and the favorite three-legged race.
Romarjio’s second taster session was Functional Movement which provided a calm and energising activity for all ages.
After a quick break, the fun and games continued with more activities such as Badminton and Table Tennis.
Fermin’s Zumba class was definitely a highlight, with everyone joining in to dance and have fun.
Towards the end of the event, two awards were given out to residents; Lucy and Elaine who had been the most consistent attendees of Yoga, Walking group, and Badminton. They received a Fitbit and a bouquet of flowers as a reward for their dedication to their fitness and our classes.
All adults who signed up to an activity on the day received gifts, such as a super absorbent sweat cloth in a Thames Life tote bag, whilst children were given backpacks with water bottles, and skipping ropes inside. Local resident & instructor Fermin was also recognized for having the highest number of attendees in her Zumba classes.
The day ended with everyone joining in for a massive game of musical statues. Nikhil who oversees Barking Food Forest also gave away strawberry plants to every family as a memento of the day.
The fitness stands where people could sign up for various fitness classes and activities proved very successful as many of the classes are already being booked up, plus we spoke to residents using our cost-of-living triage and look forward to supporting those who requested assistance.
A special thanks to everyone who attended, especially Zee for her amazing work with the children on the day & Councillor Josie for making the time to come and support. To all the staff members and volunteers involved in the process, particularly Lucy for hosting the event. Many thanks to Participatory City for allowing the use of The Warehouse, we will miss this amazing warehouse which is closing for good in June. 😔
Overall, the sports day event was a huge success and we so appreciate the amazing support from you, the incredible residents. Everyone had a great time, and Thame Life looks forward to planning many, many more fun events in the future.
Watch this space!
Sofia Osmani
British Red Cross Placement
