Young people from across the UK unite for the President’s Cup

OnSide Youth Zones annual President’s Cup took place on Saturday as over 250 young people gathered at The Factory Youth Zone, in Manchester, to take part in a host of sports, arts and creative challenges with Blackburn Youth Zone walking away victorious – for the fourth year running. 

The OnSide President’s Cup, kindly supported by Norman K. Stoller CBE CSTJ DL, President of Mahdlo (Oldham Youth Zone), truly emphasised the power of the Youth Zone network as young people from Wigan, Blackburn, Manchester, Bolton, Carlisle, Oldham and for the first time Wolverhampton battled out a fun-filled day for the ultimate prize – the winning Youth Zone!

With the recent announcement that a hat-trick of Youth Zones are to be developed in the capital, a joint London team also arrived at The Factory Youth Zone hoping they could take home the glory.

The winning Youth Zone was decided after a series of non-traditional games and activities between senior, junior and inclusion teams, including dodgeball, rowing, gym challenges, graffiti challenges, a dance off and many more!

One of the day’s main successes was the demonstration of sporting endeavour, teamwork and fair play.

All the young people were presented with a souvenir medal before Wigan Youth Zone took home the Junior Cup, hosts The Factory walked away with the Creative Cup, whilst debutants Wolverhampton Youth Zone won the Senior Cup. Mahdlo Youth Zone were then presented with the Fair Play trophy, presented by sponsor and OnSide Chairman, Bill Holroyd CBE DL, before Blackburn YZ then lifted the winning President’s Cup 2016 trophy – presented by event sponsor Norman K. Stoller CBE CSTJ DL for the fourth consecutive year.

Stephen Pearson, Project Co-ordinator at OnSide Youth Zones commented: “The buzz and euphoria created by each Youth Zone was fantastic! Each young person was fully focussed, trained and prepared to compete for their Youth Zone. They put all of their efforts, thoughts, concentrations and even bodies on the line! Juniors, seniors and inclusion members all competed for the title and a lot of fun, friends and respect were made across the event which lead to some really great memories and lifelong friends. It was great to see both Wolverhampton and London travel up for the event too and this truly shows the growing potential of the OnSide network. The Factory Youth Zone did a fantastic job in hosting the event and a big thanks must go to them.”

Sir Norman K. Stoller CBE KStJ DL commented: “Every year I seem to get more impressed. This year the enthusiasm inside The Factory is incredible. I’ve talked to people who have come up from London, Wolverhampton and Carlisle just to be here. It is incredible. OnSide is really going places and these Youth Zones are changing the lives of young people.”

Thanks to everyone who made the day a huge success.