Gearing up for an exciting Village Olympics showpiece

A scene from a past Saddleworth Village Olympics showpiece

The voluntary committee who organise the well-loved Saddleworth Village Olympics are gearing up for this year's event in September and celebrating moving to a new venue.

The games, which began in 1985, have become a cherished community event for children, parents and carers.  

Retiring chairman, Adrian Green, announcing the games' move to the new state of the art Saddleworth School at Diggle, said: “It will inevitably bring some challenges as organisers and school staff get used to the new facilities, so please bear with us if there are any issues.  

“It is difficult to remember, given the scale of the games, the entire event is organised and run by a large group of dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly throughout the year to make the games fun, inclusive and as safe as possible.

“We simply couldn’t run it without them and I would like to pass on our sincere thanks to them all,” he declared.

“We are constantly looking to improve and this year we have a fantastic brochure funded by the several sponsors.

"Their kind generosity has allowed us to switch from an entry fee funding structure to a donation model.  

“This allows competitors to enter free of charge if they wish and we hope this will lead to increased competitor numbers but help parents and carers during these difficult financial times.”

“As I step down I am reminded of the words of games founder, David Needham, when we met for the 30th anniversary.  

"He said: “The Saddleworth Village Olympics get into your blood."”

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.