The Experian Robin Hood Festival of Running is just six weeks away and thousands of Nottinghamshire runners will be out pounding the streets each night in preparation for the big day.  If you don’t fancy running a marathon but would still like to be involved in the event, you could volunteer as a marshal.

CLIC Sargent, one of the four official charities of the Experian Robin Hood Festival of Running, is appealing for local residents to be a part of Nottingham’s biggest sporting event and help them to stuff runner goody bags and marshal the course. 

Hayley Roberts and her father Brian, from Bestwood Park, have offered their services to CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity, to show their appreciation for the help they gave them when Hayley’s son, Ashdon was diagnosed with cancer.

Ashdon was just eight years old when he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, a form of cancer affecting the lymphatic system. The following six months saw Ashdon undergoing an intensive course of chemotherapy at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC). During this time he received a great deal of support from a CLIC Sargent Social Worker, who is permanently based at the hospital. Now 12, Ashdon has made a full recovery and is back at Big Wood Comprehensive carrying on with life as normal.

Hayley Roberts said: “When I heard that Ashdon had cancer, it just didn’t sink in. But it didn’t take long for it to take over our lives. Just two days after diagnosis, we were on a cancer ward where we stayed for the next six months. Without our CLIC Sargent Social Worker, I wouldn’t have found the strength to cope.”

As a single parent, Hayley found it hard on the ward on her own, she continued: “There was no-one to talk to about how I felt, and I began to worry about my finances too. The diagnosis came as a huge shock but within hours we met Esther, our CLIC Sargent Social Worker. Though she couldn’t change the diagnosis, she helped us handle the incredible changes in our lives, which happened overnight.  Esther is someone that Ashdon would talk to, about all aspects of his illness.”

Hayley and Brian will be marshalling the marathon, which is taking place on 14th September this year, at Holme Pierrpont. Today they went down to the National Watersports Centre to see where they will be situated on race day - 14th September.

Dee Richardson, Events Fundraising Manager at CLIC Sargent said: “We are thrilled that the Roberts are helping us marshal this year, without people like them the race cannot go ahead. We need 80 volunteers on race day, 60 will be along the route helping with directions and 20 at the finish line, giving out goody bags.  You don’t need to have any experience in marshalling, as you will be fully briefed on the day. 

If you are not available that weekend but want to help, we also need volunteers to help us stuff 12,000 runner’s goody bags on Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th of September.  If you can volunteer for a morning, afternoon or for both days we would be very grateful.”
 
For more information and to volunteer please contact Dee on 0113 2307902 or dee.richardson@clicsargent.org.uk

In the Summer dusk at Lady Bay, West Bridgford, the climactic finals to each league took place during an exciting night for all involved.

The Mixed Social League was the first to be decided.  Touch My A*s just edged out George’s Best after a dramatic drop-off competition, winning in the end  4 – 3.

Team captain Tracey Francis, Community Sport Trust Manager at Trent Bridge said:  “We are thrilled to have won, especially after finishing fourth in the league.  We saved our best two performances for the final two weeks and it’s paid off.  It was a really exciting way to finish the season.  Most importantly thanks must go to all the teams and the organisers, it’s been a great summer.”

In the Mixed Open League, the league leaders Black Eyed Bees only needed to avoid defeat to be crowned champions.  Science in Sport could have usurped them if they lost, provided they earned a bonus point themselves.  Science in Sport kept the pressure on by earning their bonus point victory over Boots Mixed but the Bees managed to avoid defeat against the Pink Ladies – just – holding on for a thrilling 5 – 5 draw.

Joanna Simon, captain of the Bees said:  “We’ve worked hard all season for this and we nearly threw it away in the last two weeks.  Fair play to Science in Sport for pushing us all the way, but we showed them that us Bees have got a sting in our tail and aren’t prepared to just lie down.  I’m so proud of my guys”.

The fixtures computer had thrown up a fitting final pairing to end a closely fought season.  The top two teams – Nothing Special and Marvellous Mallarkey’s – met in the match that would decide the title.  The game was eagerly anticipated as both teams have played some fantastic Touch over the course of the season.

In the end, Nothing Special, made up of young players from West Bridgford Rugby Club and Australia, managed to secure victory 9 – 4.  Nothing Special’s extra pace and exuberance of youth appearing to be the key factors in what ended up as a comfortable win.

Duncan Doyle, Nothing Special’s captain said:  “It’s been good fun.  We played some great stuff, as did the Mallarkey’s, so it was a good match to play in.  They’re a good bunch of blokes as all of them down here seem to be and we’ve enjoyed being able to test ourselves against the best that Nottingham has to offer.”

The league, which incorporates local businesses, sports teams and friendship groups has been a great advertisement for the game as it tries to establish itself alongside Rugby Union and Rugby League.  36 teams, 6 pitches and 3 time slots have provided quite a spectacle and the interest in the game just keeps growing.

Event organiser Stuart Tomlinson from Perfect Motion Events said: “Touch is great way for people to have some fun, get fit, release a bit of energy after a hard day’s work and then relax in the social atmosphere that the sport generates.  Hopefully it will continue to grow.  In four years it has gone from six teams to thirty six, so the interest is there.  The more the merrier I say.”

Touch now takes a break for a few weeks, with the Autumn Touch League due to start in September 2008.

*For more information about the leagues or if you just want to find out how to start playing you can visit www.perfectmotiontouch.com

Nottinghamshire swimming pools will be opened FREE of charge during the first weekend of the summer holidays.

On the weekend of Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th July, pools will open their doors for everyone to enjoy free swimming. The timing of the free swimming weekend coincides with schools breaking up for the summer holidays, and is designed to encourage more people to swim regularly.

Families in particular are encouraged to take advantage of this initiative, which has been organised through a collaboration of the various city and district councils around the county, who have £25,000 to make it happen.

Swimming is an excellent form of exercise that works all areas of the body without putting pressure on joints.  It is also a great fun and a perfect way to shape up and lose weight as it can burn up to 600 calories an hour.

Olympic swimmer, Rebecca Adlington, 19, is supporting the campaign as she prepares to fly out to Beijing to compete for Great Britain in the 800m and 400m freestyle, as well as the 4x200m freestyle relay. She said:

“I learned to swim at my local council run pool in Sherwood and joined the local club. I have been lucky enough to make it to the Olympics, but the important thing for most people is to enjoy the freedom of the water and take advantage of the free swimming weekend.”

“Swimming is a great way to stay in shape. Swimmers have really toned physiques and strong heart and lungs. You don’t have to be an Olympic swimmer to be fit through swimming, just going a couple of times a week makes a big difference to your health.”

Swimming is a great family fun activity and is the perfect way to keep children safe and entertained during the school holidays. Swimming is also a life skill that could save your life one day.

Regular swimming forms part of a healthy and active lifestyle. The Shape Up Notts! Campaign is encouraging people to exercise regularly and has a free web site, www.sportnottinghamshire.co.uk, that offers advice on taking part in a range of sports. It also has a points table where you can log and keep track of your exercise. Swimming moderately for an hour can earn 450 points to add to your total and enable you to compete against friends or add to your workplace total, where businesses are competing for two £2,500 prizes.

Simon Starr of Sport Nottinghamshire said: “The free swimming weekend was hugely popular last year, and we are encouraging as many people as possible to go down to their local pool and enjoy themselves. Nottinghamshire is ahead of the game as the government is talking about making swimming free by 2012, but the various councils around the county have got together to offer this free swimming weekend now in time for the school holidays.”

Participating pools in Nottingham are: