Opportunity to promote sport clubs at a country park

SPORTS clubs and organisations are being invited to get involved and promote themselves at an upcoming sports festival in Huntingdon.

The Huntingdonshire Sports Festival In The Park is being held at Hinchingbrooke Country Park, off Brampton Road, Huntingdon on Sunday, July 22.

The event will run from 11am to 2pm and is part of the London 2012 Open Weekend events celebrating the start of the London 2012 Games.

Organisers are also hoping to build upon the success of last year’s festival which saw more than 550 visitors attend.

It is a free, family-orientated event, organised by the sport and active lifestyles team at Huntingdonshire District Council, whose aim is to give local sports clubs and organisations the chance to showcase their activities to members of the public.

The clubs and organisations can do this by providing sporting challenges and activities for people to come and try or by having a stand and talking about their sport with members of the public.

Paul Ashbridge, sports development officer at Huntingdonshire District Council, said: “We are looking for any sports clubs or organisations that want to promote themselves by having a stand or running an activity on the day to get in touch with us.

“This is a really good opportunity to show what they have to offer and encourage people to take up their sport.”

For more information about Huntingdonshire Sports Festival www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk

To find out more about how to promote a club or organisation at the event contact Paul Ashbridge by calling 01480 388842 or by email at paul.ashbridge@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

the visit HISTORY will come to life during a spectacular event in Peterborough city centre this summer.

This year’s Peterborough Heritage Festival takes place on June 23 and 24 in the city’s Cathedral precincts and will feature a variety of historical events to suit all ages.

There will also be a series of “fringe” events taking place between June 16 and 28 to complete the festival line-up.

The line-up for the festival, which is being organised by Peterborough Cathedral and Vivacity, was launched by a knight on horseback outside Peterborough Cathedral yesterday.

Featuring more than 300 costumed re-enactors, visitors to the festival will be able to enjoy living history encampments and meet Roman soldiers, Saxon warriors, Medieval knights, English Civil War Roundheads and Napoleonic redcoats.

It will also include live period music, falconry shows and spectacular battle displays.

Stuart Orme, Vivacity’s heritage interpretation manager, said: “This year’s festival promises to be bigger and better than ever.

“Not only will there be a weekend event in the heart of the city centre but a programme of events and activities taking place across the city over ten days that aim to bring the rich history of our city to life.

“The festival has been held for four years and it’s been getting more and more popular each year, I think last year we had around 24,000 people turn up over the weekend.

“The festival has always previously been held in conjunction with the Peterborough Arts Festival but this is the first year that it will branch out under its own identity.

“As a result we’re planning to make it an occasion to remember and hope that even more people turn up to see it.”

More than 20 local history societies, community groups and local historic attractions will be putting on displays at the festival.

A period market will be held on the main Cathedral green, including displays of historic crafts and trades alongside a chance to go shopping for an historicallythemed gift.

New for 2012 will be a children’s zone featuring jesters, storytellers, games and activities and a Victorian cabinet of curiosities.

Also new for this year’s event is a programme of fringe activities between June 16 and 28.

These include an historic tour around the Gladstone Street community on June 16, guest talks by authors including Conn Iggulden and Tracy Borman as well as a heritage pub quiz on June 26.

A special guest lecture will also be held at Peterborough Cathedral on Saturday, June 23, with full details soon to be announced.

For more information about the festival visit www.vivacity-peterborough.com.