Sports finals are 'success' (From Penarth Times)

Sports finals are 'success'

POLICE in the Vale of Glamorgan are once again celebrating the success of the We Are The Champions Sports Day competition Finals for junior school pupils from across the Vale of Glamorgan.

The event which took place at RAF St Athan's Sports Gymnasium on Wednesday, October 20, involved over 350 pupils from ten schools participating against each other throughout the day in events such as swimming, tug of war and obstacle races.

Before the finals over 1,100 children had taken part in five heats which were held at Penarth and Barry Leisure Centres as well as RAF St Athan's sports gym. During the heats South Wales Police officers had invaluable help from Sixth Form pupils from Bryn Hafren, Barry, Stanwell, St Cyres, Cowbridge and Llantwit Major Comprehensives.

PC Malcolm Thomas, Schools Liaison Officer, and organiser of the event said: "Ten junior schools participated in the Final and have already done extremely well to get to this stage of the competition."

The schools that participated in the final were Murch Junior School, Victoria Primary School, Y Bont Faen Primary School, Jenner Park Primary School, Llancarfan Primary School, Wick and Marcross Church in Wales Primary School, St Helens Roman Catholic Primary School, Romilly Junior School, Rhws Primary School and Sant Curig School.

Bob Haswell, Manager of Barclays Bank, Penarth, kindly donated the winners shield and presented it to the winning school, Sant Curig, along with Wing Commander Reid of RAF St Athan.

PC Malcolm Thomas added, "I would like to thank teachers and parents, the Llantwit Major Comprehensive Sixth Form students, the Community Police Officers, the Local Town Mayors, Wing Commander Reid, and especially RAF St Athan for providing the excellent sports facilities."

Superintendent Josh Jones, Divisional Commander for the Vale of Glamorgan, said, "PC Malcolm Thomas and his colleagues have again organised a series of excellent events for children throughout the Vale. I am also grateful to our partners in supporting the scheme - not least the teachers and parents.

"I hope that this competition will continue to strengthen relationships between the community and the police within the Vale of Glamorgan. It provides children with an opportunity to get to know their local officers. This sort of investment - which has been going on for some years - helps break down barriers between young people and the police and helps make the Vale one of the safest places to live in South Wales."

Each of the 350 children taking part in the competition received a medal for their achievements during the day. The winners, Sant Curig, will now hold the trophy until next year's competition.