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Olympic mascot 'Wenlock' to visit Derbyshire

8 November 2011

Wenlock will visit Belper Leisure Centre and Greenbank Leisure Centre in Swadlincote on Friday, November 11.

Every school in Amber Valley has been invited up to send up to five pupils to attend the event, where they will have the chance to meet Wenlock and have their photograph taken with the Olympic mascot.

Pupils will also take part in a new Derbyshire pilot competition called ‘Launch to London’, supported by young leaders.

Phil Basterfield, partnership development manager for Amber Valley, said: “This visit will officially ‘kick start’ the Olympics in Amber Valley. As an SSP we have different tailored Olympic programmes, workshops, challenges, competitions and activities that can engage, enthuse and excite thousands of young people in Amber Valley. Hopefully we can capture the imagination of pupils through our work in schools and encourage them to fulfil their potential both in and out of sport beyond London 2012. 

"Wenlock’s visit will be a fantastic experience for the pupils involved and will help to bring the Games to life."

Pupils from a number of primary schools in South Derbyshire have been invited to take part in taster sessions in a variety of Olympic and Paralympic sports including fencing, table tennis and athletics.

During the session at Greenbank Leisure Centre Olympic mascot Wenlock will also join pupils to see the activities and pose for photos.

They will also be joined by Tommy Godwin, who won two bronze medals in track cycling – in the 1km time trial and team pursuit – at the 1948 Olympic Games, which were the last Games held in England.

Steve Smith, partnership development manager for South Derbyshire, said: "We are really excited to be able to welcome Wenlock to South Derbyshire.

"There is some fantastic work taking place in the district using the magic of 2012 to inspire young people to take part in more sport and try something new, and I'm sure that having the chance to meet Wenlock with help to further their enthusiasm for sport."

David Joy, Director of Derbyshire Sport, said: "Wenlock's visit will be a fantastic opportunity for young people in Derbyshire to feel like they are part of the build up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We hope that people of all ages will be inspired by the Games and motivated to try a new sport or become more active themselves, and play a part in Derbyshire's 2012 legacy."

The name Wenlock is inspired by Much Wenlock, a small town in Shropshire.

In 1890, on his journey towards creating the modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin was invited to visit Much Wenlock by William Penny Brookes, a local doctor, admirer of ancient Greek society and advocate of physical education in schools.

De Coubertin watched the 'Much Wenlock Games', which Dr Brookes had created to 'promote the moral, physical and intellectual improvement of the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Wenlock' and which comprised athletics and traditional country sports with a procession of flag bearers, competitors and officials. While there, de Coubertin shared his vision for sport with Dr Brookes.

In 1894, de Coubertin’s proposal to establish the Olympic Games in a modern form was approved by delegates at the 'International Congress of Paris for the Re-establishment of the Olympic Games' and a committee, which would later become  the International Olympic Committee, was also established. In 1896, the very first edition of the modern Olympic Games was held in Athens. In his diaries he details how the people of Much Wenlock helped inspire him to create the Olympic Movement whose Values still hold strong in today’s world.