fbpx Media release: Celebrating a summer of sport and the legacy of London 2012 - London Youth
summer of sport festival 2022

25 August 2022

Celebrating a summer of sport and the legacy of London 2012 with the Summer of Sport Festival for young Londoners 

Ten years on from the 2012 London Olympics, London Youth and StreetGames are joining forces to celebrate a summer of sport, in partnership with The Jack Petchey Foundation.  

On Thursday 25 August 2022, the Copper Box Arena will transform into a hub of community sports for a day, with over 25 sports on offer and opportunities for 1,000 young Londoners to get active.  

Inspiration through sport  

The day will see young Londoners taking part in an exciting range of activities from BMXing to basketball, climbing to yoga and much more. Young people will have the chance to try out different sports and challenges throughout the day, and will get a stamp for each in “participant passports” that every attendee will receive when they arrive. 

After more than two years of disruption caused by the pandemic, the event is a chance to celebrate young people being able to get together with their friends and be active together. 

In addition to the day’s sports activities, fan engagement media company Underground Fan Club will be running two panel sessions hosted by founder Charlie Copsey. Panelists including Sprinting Gold Medalist Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and Broadcaster Reece Parkinson will share their unique stories. 

These honest conversations will cover the highs, the lows and the grit and determination involved when pursuing a career in professional sport.   

Celebrating the power of community sport  

Sport has the power to transform lives and build stronger communities.  

This festival is a culmination of a summer of sporting opportunities for young people and reflects our shared belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to develop a lifelong love of sport.  

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said:

“We want to build on the success of the Lionesses and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and inspire a generation of young people to get involved in sport. This collaboration between StreetGames, London Youth and the Jack Petchey Foundation is a fantastic way to get involved in sport. The government is investing £250 million to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots football pitches and tennis courts across the UK and putting £560 million into a National Youth Guarantee so every young person can access life-changing activities to expand their horizons and get vital life skills.”

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said:  

“London 2012 showed our great city at its best and demonstrated the power of sport to inspire and motivate the next generation. 

A decade on, sport and physical activity still has a crucial role in the wellbeing of young people, and these activities being put on this summer are a great opportunity for young Londoners to be able to try different sports and to be inspired.” 

StreetGames CEO, Mark Lawrie said:  

“At StreetGames, we are passionate about ensuring that the inspirational power of major sporting events can be enjoyed by everybody, including those in underserved communities who experience multiple barriers to accessing sport and physical activity. London 2012 was the first major, multisport event where StreetGames committed to work with our partners to develop a local community legacy of activity and volunteering. We are delighted to be working with London Youth and the Jack Petchey Foundation to put on this exciting event at an iconic London 2012 venue, marking the ten-year anniversary of our home Olympics and reminding all about the power that sport has to transform young lives.”  

 London Youth CEO, Rosemary Watt-Wyness said: 

“Ten years on from London 2012, we’re so pleased to take the opportunity to bring young Londoners together to celebrate all things community sport. Throughout communities right across the capital, youth organisations and youth workers play such an important role in getting young people active – many of whom might not have had the opportunities and support to take part otherwise. 2012 was a time for London to shine, and we’re proud to continue the legacy of the games, creating opportunities for a summer of sport for young Londoners and helping them to discover a lifelong love of sport.”  

Gemma Juma, Chief Executive Officer of the Jack Petchey Foundation, said:  

“We are delighted to be able to bring so many young people together at the Copperbox Arena to try a whole range of sports, meet new people and learn new skills. This event comes at the end of a series Jack Petchey Summer of Sport 2022 events which encourages young Londoners to engage more directly in sport. It is so important that young people are provided with sporting opportunities to connect, learn and develop – and we are delighted to have been working in partnership with London Youth on this for so many years.”

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