Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park is once again gearing up to host the Olympic Legacy in Action event for its third consecutive year. Following the resounding success of previous events, this year promises to be bigger and better than before, maximising on the anticipation building for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

With an emphasis on inclusivity, accessibility, and community involvement, the Olympic Legacy in Action events aim to capture the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and help increase physical activity and improve the mental, physical and social wellbeing of participants.

A series of events will take place throughout June, starting on Sunday 2 June with the Olympic Legacy in Action Community Day, in partnership with Westfield Health.

The Community Day is a free event and will run between 11am and 4pm at venues across the Park including Canon Medical Arena, the Community Stadium and 3G pitch, Oasis Academy Don Valley, English Institute for Sport Sheffield (EISS), iceSheffield, Westfield Health Active Space and the canal moorings.

Supported by organisations on the Park and across the city, the Community Day is an inclusive and accessible event for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy. There will be opportunities to engage in a wide variety of free sport and physical activity taster sessions including basketball, boxing, climbing, cricket, cycling, football, ice skating, netball, rugby, snooker, trampolining, weightlifting and more.

This year, two new partnerships, with Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and ShefFood, will expand the health and wellbeing elements of the day providing advice, information and additional activities.

Teams from across Sheffield Children’s will be hosting a range of activities to support children, young people and families to learn more about their health and provide fun and inclusive opportunities to try new sports.

The Health Visiting team will be hosting an interactive stall where children and families can learn more about sleep, oral health, movement, healthy eating and more. There will also be an opportunity to meet with colleagues from the Active Hospitals project who support patients with increasing their physical activity to assist in recovery and long-term health.

And the Physiotherapy team will be holding a Sport for Life session at EISS for children and young people with disabilities to try a range of inclusive sports including tennis, trikes and bikes, dance, and boccia (similar to bowls).

ShefFood, a partnership of organisations working together to create a more sustainable food system for Sheffield, will be on hand to provide information and advice on healthy and sustainable food. ShefFood partners including Darnall Allotment Project, Green City Action and UWA Kitchen will be hosting stalls, activities and demonstrations throughout the day.

Anyone eager to start earlier in the day can also join the weekly Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park junior parkrun at 9am – a free 2km run for juniors aged 4 to 14 years old. Participants are asked to register in advance to get a barcode so times can be recorded on the day.

A further inclusive sports event will take place on Friday 14 June, when Links School Sport Partnership will host a Boccia event at EISS in conjunction with the Boccia England Cup Finals.

And to complete the series of events, on Friday 21 June, the spotlight will be on promoting female participation in sports with a This Girl Can day organised by Yorkshire Sport Foundation and the Sheffield School Sports Partnerships.

Approximately 1,000 students from schools across Sheffield will visit Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park to take part in a variety of activities tailored towards Year 9 girls. Sessions will include rugby league, boxing and ice skating and will culminate in the vibrant Colour Smash run, which has become a firm favourite with all participants.

David Capper, Chief Executive at Westfield Health said: “Westfield Health is delighted to partner with the Olympic Legacy in Action event for a second year. As a longstanding supporter of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park and advocate for health and wellbeing, we are thrilled to contribute to an initiative that encourages active and healthy lifestyles and promotes community spirit.”