Great Baddow High School hosted the first Mid-Essex Schools Festival of Sport last Saturday.

The Festival was the first of its kind in Essex because it involved an unusual partnership between the Chelmsford Borough Council, local schools and sports clubs in the Mid-Essex area.

The aim of the Festival was to give as many local school pupils aged between 12 and 14 as possible the opportunity to participate in a fun sporting event.

All 20 secondary schools in the Mid-Essex area were invited to enter any or all of the seven sporting events and eight of those schools took part this year with many more promising to take part in next year's event.

'Sport for All' was the principle under which the event took place and because pupils were only allowed to participate in one sporting event, many more were able to enjoy the competitive experience than would normally be the case.

In many of the sports there were additional 'B' competitions to give more pupils a chance to take part.

Over 450 pupils of all abilities took part and all received a certificate acknowledging their achievements.

There were no trophies or medals awarded but the efforts of both winners and runners up in each event were recognised with certificates.

All the events went ahead as scheduled and the competition was keen and sporting in all respects.

From the organisers point of view the results couldn't have been better with every participating school being either a winner or runner up in at least one of the events.

The Festival Organisers were: Paul May - Chairman MESSSA, Jane Lampshire - Chelmsford Borough Council Community Sports Officer and Paul Farmer, Head of PE at Great Baddow High School.

The Sports Clubs involved were: Chelmsford Swimming Club, Chelmsford Athletic Club, Gallow United Football Club, Chelmsford & District Junior Netball League, Baddow Comets Basketball Club, Chelmsford Hockey Club and Great Baddow Lawn Tennis Club.

The results were: Swimming: Girls winners, St Martins; runners-up, Moulsham. Boys winners, St Martins; runners-up, Great Baddow. Athletics: Girls winners, Great Baddow; runners-up, Hedley Walter; Boys winners, Great Baddow; runners-up, William de Ferrers. Football: Girls winners, Rainsford; runners-up, Hedley Walter. Boys winners, 'A' Great Baddow, 'B' Shenfield; runners-up, 'A' St Martins, 'B' Great Baddow. Netball: Girls winners: 'A' Great Baddow, 'B' Great Baddow; runners-up, 'A' Moulsham, 'B' Rainsford. Basketball: Boys winners, Great Baddow; runners-up, St Martins. Hockey: Girls winners, St Martins; runners-up, Great Baddow. Boys winners, William de Ferrers; runners-up, Shenfield. Tennis: Girls winners, St Martins; runners-up, Shenfield. Boys winners, 'A' St Martins, 'B' St Martins; runners-up, 'A' Hedley Walter, 'B' Rainsford.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.