Small but mighty is how I would describe the Sportily North Glos Team — and with all its quirks and nuances, it’s a fantastic team to be part of!

What makes our team particularly exciting are the volunteers and young leaders who generously give up their time to help out at sessions. In celebration of National Volunteer Week, I chatted with two of our long-standing young leaders, Jamie (17) and Fin (17).

How long have you been involved with Sportily?

Jamie: About 2 years.

Fin: Almost 5 years.

How did you first get involved with Sportily?

Fin: I went along to a Saturday football session in Churchdown, which was run by Nathan — the legend — and it just went from there. It was always a great session, lots of energy, and loads of fun.

Jamie: Fin mentioned the football session, so I went along to give it a go — and it was cool. 

What do you like about volunteering and being a young leader with Sportily?

Fin: I love being able to play sport and meet new people in the area — coaches and young people too. It’s great building relationships, seeing young people at holiday clubs and then at community sessions as well.

Jamie: I think what I like most is that the sessions aren’t always the same. We get involved in a wide variety of stuff — from breakfast cafés to holiday clubs and community events. Plus, I just really enjoy it!

What would you say to someone looking to get involved with Sportily?

Fin: Don’t be scared to get involved — just give it a go. The teams are welcoming and really fun to be a part of.

What has Sportily done for you?

Fin: Sportily believes in my passion for football and sport, and they’ve supported me in obtaining coaching badges, helping me develop my prospects and experiences.

Jamie: When I leave school, I’m interested in the apprenticeship programme that Sportily offers. Even though it’s still a year or so away, they’ve already been encouraging me and supporting me to build the experience and skills I’ll need to follow that path.

If you could run any type of session within North Glos, what would it be?

Jamie: A football tournament — but I’m also really keen to add more sessions for over-18s and young adults in the area.

Fin: A finger golf club with an annual tournament! 

_________

A huge thank you to all our volunteers — from young leaders to long-standing legends — for the energy, heart and dedication you bring to Sportily. You make everything we do possible, and we’re so proud to have you as part of the team!

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering — whether it’s helping at one-off community events, supporting weekly sessions, or simply bringing a friendly face and a cuppa, we’d love to hear from you! Click here to find out how you can get involved.

Read on to hear Simon's insights and why he encourages others to get involved.

Luke: Hi Simon, thank you so much for agreeing to have a chat with me about school life and the involvement Sportily has had in that over the years. Can you give us a bit of background into your history as a teacher and what you did before that?  

Simon: Hi Luke, not a problem, it's great to be able to share the work Sportily has been doing here. This is only my third year as a primary school teacher; before that, I was a sports coach for a local company and actually led sessions at this school. I then completed my training and now teach a class here and oversee the PE curriculum.  

Luke: How have you found the difference between being a sports coach versus a classroom teacher? I know the school is glad that your coaching experience can be used to enrich the PE lessons.  

Simon: It was quite a shift to go from 2-3 sessions a week per school to full-time teaching with the same class. You have to manage the children very differently now that my role is all-encompassing, more than small snippets throughout the week. PE is still my favourite class to teach, it's very rewarding to see the children progress week after week.  

Luke: What is your history with Sportily? When did you first hear about us? And what is your favourite thing about us? 
 
Simon: I first came across Sportily when it was called PSALMS (before it was rebranded) as I used to do sessions alongside the team as a sports coach. When I joined the school as a teacher, I met Luke and am very glad that we can use his expertise and experience to offer our pupils something more. My favourite thing about Sportily is the variety that they can provide, Luke has led sessions in Blind Football, Boccia, Tchoukball, Handball and more! Trying to keep children on task and excited can be hard work, but knowing there is something new and exciting to look forward to, always keeps them going.  
 
Luke: You work in a Church of England School, how have you seen Sportily supporting that?  

Simon: Yes, Sportily has been so intentional with providing something new when it comes to exploring the mystery of faith with the school children. Sometimes it can be difficult to communicate faith to children but Sportily facilitates it in so many ways that opens the door to all children having an opportunity to learn and experience.  

Luke: Can you give the readers an example of what Sportily can offer? Really try to sell it to them.  
 
Simon: ActiveRE has been a big hit with KS2; being able to learn about the Christian faith through games and activities. The most memorable for me was a lesson about the Holy Spirit, which was shown by doing a blindfolded obstacle course with my partner having to direct me to the finish line. It wasn’t easy, but it was very well received by the children.  

We've also had Sportily Christmas, Easter, and Sports Days, which introduce faith to children in new, sometimes unconventional ways. These are supported by the local Church team who the children can speak to and build a relationship with.  

Luke: I am glad to remember the blindfolded obstacle course! It is also one of my favourites. Last question: What would you say to another school that is considering using Sportily as a provider?  

Simon: Just go for it, and at least have a trial day. They have so much to offer that I'm sure will stick with the children as they continue through their school life. Teaching is about trying to communicate something in a fun way that's easy to understand, and Sportily does that so well. We are grateful as a school that you are available to us. 

Luke: Thank you for your time Simon, I appreciate the kind words. See you for Multisport Madness After School Club next week!  

If you're a school and want to find out more about what we offer, click here.

To see what activities we have avaialble in your area, click here. 

#giveitago today.

"Hello, I'm Shanice-Louise, and I'd like to share my incredible journey with Sportily, which started back in 2010 when it was known as Psalms. My adventure began at Messy Church in Stonehouse, and from there, it extended to holiday clubs. These activities quickly became a cherished part of my childhood. Fourteen years have passed, and even if I could turn back time, I wouldn't change a thing about my experiences with Sportily.

In 2019, I took a significant step forward by joining the Leadership Academy. This programme was not only enjoyable but also played a crucial role in deepening my faith. The support I received from everyone at Sportily has been immense, and I am incredibly grateful. Despite my learning difficulties, Sportily has always been inclusive, making sure I felt welcomed and valued.

From 2017 to 2021, I participated in TRAC summer residential, an experience that boosted my confidence year after year. Now, I am proud to give back as a volunteer, helping out at youth clubs and the Leadership Academy. 

Throughout my journey, there have been numerous instances where Sportily's inclusivity shone brightly. Even during challenging times, from my early years to now, I have never been turned away. This unwavering support has been a constant source of encouragement for me.

One of my favourite memories with Sportily is from my first TRAC residential event, where we visited Jumptastic. The excitement, laughter, and joy of that day remain vivid in my mind. It was a day filled with fun, and it symbolised the beginning of many wonderful experiences to come.

In conclusion, my journey with Sportily has been nothing short of amazing. The community, the support, and the opportunities have shaped me into who I am today. I am deeply grateful to Sportily for being such a significant part of my life. 

Thank you, Sportily, for everything!"

If you're interested in becoming a volunteer, click here to find out more and get signed up.

We love this picture of Reuben showing off his handmade Easter card.

Here are some highlights from across the sessions:

"One little girl was so shy she wasn't sure about joining in, but an older girl befriended her and helped her through the day. Before long, they were great friends and got involved with every activity. So great to see kindness and compassion being shown."

"10/10 holiday club! The children responded brilliantly to the organised games as well as space for free play. We had already seen around 9 of them at other activities this week – it's great they're so engaged."

"All of the children said that they had a really good time. There was quite a large age range from year 1 to year 6, but they worked really well together and had fun."

Head to Facebook and share what your children thought if they attended any of our sessions.

Click here to see what's going on in your area this term, we'd love to see you!

"I love running! I love it on a level that occasionally borders on obsessive. But I wasn’t always this way.

I used to be that friend we all have who publicly declares they like running, but if they're being honest, haven’t been for a run in the last 12 months. 

So what changed?

Well, firstly, I decided to challenge my wife! Both Sarah (that’s my wife) and I are reasonably competitive, so when she suggested we run a half marathon together, I jumped at the chance. We signed up for the Hackney half marathon and began to train together. We did the same runs and ran the same routes, but when it came to race day, Sarah proudly announced that she was going to move further forward in the start pens as I “would slow her down”!

This got my competitiveness riled up, and I went out to prove her wrong. I finished in a highly respectable 1h59m, but before I bask in the glory of my new PB, I discovered that Sarah had finished a whole 15 mins ahead of me! In a moment of self-preservation, I acknowledged her accomplishment, quickly adding that while she’d done a half marathon, she couldn’t do a full marathon (I’d done one marathon, it had been a disaster, but I felt like I still had the upper ground!).

She called my bluff, and the next thing I knew, we were booked in to run the Berlin marathon.

Again we trained together (minus about ten days where I had some reasonably severe man flu), but just like groundhog day, when it came to completing the marathon, I crossed the line in 4h31m, this time to discover that she finished a full hour ahead of me!

This led to an endless rotation of marathons, slowly chipping away at my time until, 15 marathons later, I finally beat her time.

Along the way, I joined a local running club and started participating in local Parkruns. If you haven’t come across Parkrun, they are a glowing example of what a true community can look like. Every Saturday, at 9 am, millions gather in parks worldwide to run, jog or walk 5k. Some are pro athletes (my local Parkrun often hosts Lucy Charles, the current women’s no. 2 world Ironman champion); most are not.

While some fly by in subhuman times, there will always be people who walk, take the dog or hop around on crutches (okay, I’ve only seen this once, but It makes the point!). The events are open to everyone, young and old, male and female, fast and slow, celebrities (my claim to fame is narrowly beating Ronnie O’Sullivan) and mere mortals like you and me.

But the incredible thing is the community that it creates. People cheer each other on, stay back to encourage slower runners, and pace each other to new personal bests. Some of my good friends are people I’ve met at Parkrun. It’s a community that effortlessly accepts you, encourages you and which you feel inexplicably part of. 

When I reflect on why I run and that fateful half marathon in 2017, I’ve watched something change within me. I used to be driven by the desire to prove myself and to be the best. But what I’ve noticed is that I now run for the community. I run to run with people, to cheer people on. I love to celebrate, offer advice and run physically and metaphorically alongside people."

If you're interested in giving running a go, whether it's because you like the social aspect, or because you're fiercely competitive as Jimmy used to be, why not join us in Kemble for our next Couch to 5k running club! 

We like to start and end at the pub, what more could you want? Join the Sportily Thameshead Facebook group to find out when we're running the next one (pun intended).

Nathan and the team would love you to join us for a free Fun family day out full of Sports, Games, Easter Egg Hunts, Food and Fun for everyone as we celebrate the work of Sportily in the North Glos area.

11-12pm - Twigworth Green
Driveway Sports in the New Housing area.
Join in with lots of different games and activities on different peoples driveways!
Meet outside Jane's Pantry for information about where to go (GL2 9SB)

12:30-2pm - Innsworth Junior School
Unique Sports and Hot Cross Buns
We run lots of activities in the school during term time. Join us from 12.30 to try out some unique and unusual sports, and for some free hot cross buns.

2:30-4pm - Longford Skate Park
Easter Egg Hunt, Basketball, Coffee Van, Family Rounders
This part of the day will include a visit by the Bishop of Gloucester as we share with her how great North Glos is.

If you have any questions, please speak to Nathan or email nathan.youlton@sportily.org.uk 
The events are all free and we really would love you to come and join in with what's going on and have some fun with us.

Check out all our regular activities, clubs and sports camps in North Glos: 
BOOK NOW: north glos

Join our North Glos activity information email list:
north glos email list

Check out our North Glos Facebook Group:
north glos facebook group

Our framework for this is our seven spaces model; CONNECT, EAT, EXPLORE, ENCOUNTEER, SERVE, CONTRIBUTE, GROW. Across all our locations we seek to inhabit these spaces throughout our programme.

Just last week there was a great example of our SERVE space in action in Beacon; for the session that week we partnered with the Parish Council to decorate the Pavillion building as a way to serve the community.

In addition to the decorating, Nathan facilitated a space for the young people to take time to wander around the space looking at different pieces of art stuck to the walls. The young people wrote on post-it notes to describe how the pictures made them feel.

Elsewhere we spent time CONNECTing around a campfire, and EATing toasted marshmellows and corn on the cob, whilst EXPLOREing the kind of things that Jesus may have done around a campfire with his friends and family.