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22/02/2011
Shanaze Reade will be helping to bring spirit of play into communities...
Cadbury have announced that five-time BMX World Champion and two-time Track Cycling World Champion, Shanaze Reade will become an Athlete Ambassador for its London 2012 programme.
Shanaze Reade, one of Britain’s brightest prospects for London 2012, will join Rebecca Adlington and a team of Cadbury Athlete Ambassadors due to be announced over the coming months,as part of Cadbury’s on-going support for British Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Shanaze, an established star in the dynamic Olympic sport of BMX, as well as Track Cycling where she was crowned World Champion in 2008, will be supported by Cadbury as she prepares to compete for Gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
As part of her role as an Athlete Ambassador for Cadbury’s London 2012 programme, Shanaze will join Cadbury in bringing all sorts of people together through Cadbury’s Spots v Stripes community programme, a unique programme that uses playing games as a catalyst to connect people and build stronger communities. In association with Groundwork, Cadbury is bringing Spots v Stripes to harder to reach and disadvantaged areas across the UK, with the aim of creating a lasting community legacy well beyond London 2012. To celebrate her new role, Shanaze took part in a host of Spots v Stripes games with residents from Monton Street Residents Forum at a community garden owned by City South Housing Trust in Hulme, Manchester.
Nearly 14,000 people have participated in the Spots v Stripes community programme games at over 225 grassroots events across the UK and Ireland. The programme sees Cadbury investing directly in a network of community Games Coordinators, and volunteers as well as events. Cadbury with the help of Groundwork aims to recruit and train 2,000 volunteersoverall, having already recruited over 450 in a short space of time. In the run up to London 2012, Cadbury’s Spots v Stripes community programme will be independently evaluated by researchers at Ecorys, an independent research consultancy company and Professor Peter Taylor from Sheffield Hallam University.
Shanaze has worked with Groundwork in the past including during the development of the BMX Track at TipkinderPark in Crewe where her old BMX group, the Chesire Ghost Riders are based. She said: “I fell in love with BMX aged 10 on the streets of Crewe and I’ve always thought getting involved in your local community is really important. I’m so thrilled to be joining Cadbury’s Spots v Stripes campaign, playing my part in building the excitement around the Olympics and helping people to rediscover the benefits and fun of getting together to play games”
Norman Brodie, General Manager of Cadbury’s London 2012 campaign, said: “We are delighted that Shanaze Reade is joiningour growing team of Athlete Ambassadors and is kicking off her role by working with our community partner Groundwork. Shanaze truly epitomises the power of game playing and team spirit and we hope that her involvement inspires further people, up and down the country to get involved.”
Groundwork chief executive, Tony Hawkhead, said: “Cadbury’s unique approach to community involvement has generated a promising response so far. The Spots v Stripes games have already forged friendships between neighbours, local organisations and other agencies as well as community spirit, often in areas that are among the most in need.”
