Saturday sees the running of the first ever Mid-Essex Schools Festival of Sport.

This Festival is organised as a joint venture between local schools, local sports clubs and the local council, and it takes place at Great Baddow High School from 9am till 1pm.

The events are: five-a-side football (boys and girls); seven-a-side hockey (boys and girls); netball (girls); basketball (boys); tennis (boys and girls); swimming (boys and girls); athletics (boys and girls).

The sports clubs involved are: Gallow United Football Club; Chelmsford Hockey Club; Chelmsford & District Junior Netball League; Baddow Rockets Basketball Club; Great Baddow Lawn Tennis Club; Chelmsford Swimming Club, and Chelmsford Athletic Club.

The Secondary schools involved are: Great Baddow High School; Rainsford High School; Moulsham High School; William de Ferrers School; Plume School; Boswells School; Hedley Walter School; Shenfield High School, and St Martin's School.

The Sports Development Unit at Chelmsford Borough Council is the other partner in this venture.

The emphasis of this Festival is on "Sports for All", giving children of all abilities the chance to participate in a friendly atmosphere where the aim is not just to win but to have fun and enjoy the sporting experience.

With this philosophy in mind the organisers have included "B" competitions for those children who may have never played for their school before and have limited the number of events that any one child can take part in to just one so that more children can be involved.

The Festival is aimed mainly at pupils in school year 9 but pupils in school year 8 and 7 may also participate.

Any pupils who represent Essex may not participate in their representative sport.

The organisers are expecting 700+ participants and more than 100 officials, administrators and helpers and spectators are welcome.

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