Members of GM School Games Youth Voice join national campaign to improve children’s health

By GreaterSport | 20 August 2020 | TAGS: "GMSchoolGames", Children and young people

Two former members of the Young Local Organising Committee (YLOC) for the Greater Manchester School Games programme are taking their skills and passion for helping young people to be healthy, even further.

Hawa Dar and Ella Hampson are two of the ten young people selected from Greater Manchester to represent the youth voice that are the main driving force behind the Bite Back 2030 campaign. The campaign works across the country to ensure all young people have access to healthy food. Hawa said;

“I am very excited to get started and be a part of the bite back community. I realised that more needs to be done to provide and promote healthier food options. It’s important that the government, schools and companies are working together to tackle this issue; but I also wanted to do my part and so I applied for the position in order to educate myself more on the growing issue.”

Ella also commented to say;

“I believe that the YLOC was a brilliant stepping stone that helped me develop my confidence of working with people I didn’t know. I have made many new friends that will all, hopefully, continue to make an important difference to lives of many other young people. After seeing the difference that being a part of a group such as the YLOC could have in encouraging and inspiring other young people, I wanted to continue to use my passion for learning and my new skills to influence the decisions made within the Bite Back Campaign in order to encourage healthy living across Britain.

Jessica Simons, Lead for the Greater Manchester School Games programme said;

“I am thrilled that not one but two of the YLOC have been chosen for the campaign, it’s a great opportunity for them to take their skills and voice to support this campaign. Both were an integral part of the YLOC for the School Games events in 2019, with Hawa showing her dedication to the role by continuing to attend meetings and events despite being on crutches and Ella taking the time to commit despite a demanding training schedule for England Hockey. Both would always contribute well and had some great ideas on how to ensure the School Games events met the needs of all young people. I wish them all the best in the role.”