Liverpool School Sports Partnership supports British Gymnastics to engage over 3000 young people
In March 2025, the British Gymnastics Championships will take over the M&S Bank Arena for an epic event.
The championships, which is the most prestigious event on the British artistic gymnastics calendar, will see Olympic, World and European medallists go head-to-head over four days, as well as stars of the future.
As part of its mission to engage young people and encourage them to participate in the sport, British Gymnastics is providing free tickets for school-aged children.
British Gymnastics enlisted the help of Liverpool School Sports Partnership (LSSP) to reach schools across the city and offer their students a chance to attend the championships.
As a school sports partnership working with schools across the city, LSSP is uniquely positioned to promote the event to its extensive network of schools.
So far, LSSP has received over 3000 ticket requests, with requests growing weekly and expected to reach over 5000.
Partnerships manager at LSSP, Adella Dando, commented: “We are delighted to support British Gymnastics to promote the British Gymnastics Champions and encourage young people to attend.
“The prestigious event is one of the most highly anticipated in the British Gymnastics calendar and is the perfect opportunity for young people to witness the incredible talents of the athletes and how involvement in the sport can become a career.”
Jimmy McGinn, partnerships manager at LSSP, added: “Through our extensive network, we could share this invitation with schools across Liverpool. The strength of our network has been a catalyst for this engagement.
“At LSSP, we provide a range of services that deliver engaging PE, school sports, and physical activities to foster a lifelong love of participation. We advocate for the love and joy of participation and help children live happy, healthy and active lives beyond education.”
Alongside promoting the event, LSSP is working with British Gymnastics to develop a continuing professional development (CPD) course based on ‘Rise Gymnastics’ – a recreational gymnastics programme and award scheme.
Rise Gymnastics is designed to provide every gymnast an opportunity to shine. The fun-packed programme delivers a progressive journey through recreational gymnastics.
The school sports partnership also plans to facilitate a Rise Gymnastics competition in the new year. All competitions facilitated by LSSP are promoted across its vast network and open to all schools within the network.
To support logistics across the two days of the event, Arriva, Stagecoach and Merseyrail have very kindly pledged their support and are offering free public transport travel for schools and their students attending the event.
The team at LSSP is coordinating with schools to confirm the collection points and number of students to streamline the process for the relevant travel company.
Arriva is offering free bus travel to school groups in Merseyside and Halton on Thursday, 20 March, and Friday, 21 March.
Richard Hoare, area director for Arriva North West, said: “We’re pleased to be supporting this sporting event by allowing school groups free bus travel.
“As a leading bus operator in Merseyside, it’s important that we do what we can in enabling young people access to inspiring events like this.”
Schools can still register for free tickets to the British Gymnastics Champions through LSSP. The deadline for all requests is Friday, 31 January 2025.