The Games will inspire participation in sport, physical and cultural activities in the North East and leave tangible legacies for current and future generations. The region will host the Olympic football at St James’ Park. We’ve got over 190 projects across our six Inspire themes in the North East.
Inspire people
Robert Naylor, Time Travel Northumberland
The Time Travel Northumberland Inspire project is a youth-led project developed for young people by young people. Woodhorn, the lead for this project, are going beyond work that they have done with young people before, using the Games as a catalyst to engage the museum and archives in comtemporary ways with young peopleyoung people with the museum and archives in new ways. The project is inspired by time travel and allows young people to virtually travel to the past, present and future of Northumberland as well as exploring the links across the region and the world. It will result in an inspirational cultural programme devised by young people.
Tell us in your own words how you’ve been inspired by London 2012, in particular through your involvement in this project?
I began to realise that the Olympic Games is not just about sport, it is about the arts and our heritage and we can learn a lot about how people lived years ago. The Inspire project Time Travel Northumberland captures a great way of connecting young people from across the region uniting a vibrant culture.
Can you describe the difference between your life before and after being involved in this project?
Before this project I used to spend hours and hours in front of the computer playing computer games and now I have experience what life was like living without them I know how much we depend on technology in today’s society. I try to not rely on technology as much now.
How has this project changed your life?
I am much more confident now and I am much more able to plan my time more effectively. I have made some really great friends during the project. It has made me realise that many different roles and jobs are available in creative and historical industries.
Inspire projects
¡VAMOS! Festival
Project organiser: VAMOS
Theme: Culture
¡VAMOS! Festival is the North East of England’s celebration of Latin and Portuguese-language culture and it will return for its seventh edition from 1 June 2012.
This year they have been inspired by the Games to extend their programme of activities and include more events and activities to involve and engage young people.
The ¡VAMOS! Inspire project has been running since 2006, working with a broad range of partners across the region and internationallly. It uses arts and culture, in particular Latin and Portuguese cultures, to educate and engage a diverse audience.
Ready, Steady, Walk
Project organisers: Hartlepool Borough Council and School Sport Partnership
Theme: Sport
Ready, Steady, Walk aims to raise the activity levels of primary school pupils aged four–11 across Hartlepool.
The project involves pupils collectively walking the equivalent distance between a recent Olympic and Paralympic Host City and London. Participating schools will mark out set distances on their playgrounds and fields and these will be used to measure the distance walked.
The project also involves pupils exploring different cultural aspects of their chosen host cities, and any other cities that they may encounter en-route to London. The educational value of the project is highlighted by the links that will be made with a variety of curriculum-based subjects, including PE, English, numeracy, science, geography, history, RE and modern foreign languages.
Once schools reach their final destinations, a number of celebratory sporting events are organised.
