In collaboration with the Youth Sport Trust, Allianz UK is set to initiate the MoveNow Festivals in 2024, following the precedents set by the Dare To Believe Festivals in 2016 and 2018.
The forthcoming series, comprising 20 inclusive events, is designed to engage secondary school students with Olympic and Paralympic sports in an engaging atmosphere.
The festivals are orchestrated by a team of Athlete Mentors and Young Leaders from the Youth Sport Trust, alongside volunteers from Allianz. They aim to offer students a hands-on experience with various sports at leading local facilities.
The inaugural festival kicked off at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre in London on January 29, welcoming over 100 participants. Future events are scheduled across the UK, including Birmingham in February and Bristol, Milton Keynes, Manchester, and Guildford in March, with additional festivals planned nationwide from Bournemouth to Glasgow throughout the year.
Shanil Williams, a commercial board member at Allianz, shared insights at the London launch, highlighting the synergy of fun, sports, and the embodiment of Olympic and Paralympic values such as belonging, resilience, and striving for personal best.
“This is something close to our heart at Allianz as partners of the games but also as an organisation, and to see so many of our employees choose to use their volunteering hours for the Festivals is really great as it shows how sport brings people together,” Williams said.
“Harnessing the power of sport and play is vital, and we’re grateful for the support of everyone at Allianz for enabling us to inspire over 2,000 children to get active at the 20 festivals planned between now and the start of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer,” Youth Sport Trust National Programmes director Emily Reynolds said.
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