Amir Khan joins 700 young people at North West Festival

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The annual StreetGames North West Festival at Sportcity, Manchester, last Friday (31st August) received a sprinkling of celebrity as the over 700 young people were joined by Olympic silver medallist boxer and StreetGames Ambassador Amir Khan.

Khan is supporting StreetGames by helping to raise awareness of the charity and act as an ambassador to encourage more young people to get involved.  

He said: “I’ve seen the benefits that sport can bring to the lives of young people and local communities first-hand through my own sport and boxing club in Bolton.  It’s great to see the fantastic work that StreetGames do to inspire young people in the North West and all around the UK, to get into and stay in sport. Providing local access to sports coaching can change lives and communities for the better.”

Amir also joined the teenagers to make their mark for the Olympic and Paralympic Games by painting a section of one of seven murals that will be showcased in the official Coca-Cola Pin Trading Centres at the Olympic Park and Hyde Park during the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The murals have been commissioned by Olympic sponsor Coca-Cola and celebrate the seven Olympic and Paralympic values - the Manchester mural celebrates ‘equality’. Coca-Cola GB asked young people from StreetGames projects in the North West what the value means to them, rewarding the winning sentiment with a pair of tickets to a Paralympic event at London 2012.

Amanda Cameron, 22, secured her tickets to the Games after her words on ‘what equality means to you’ were chosen to appear in the Manchester artwork.

She said: “Equality is believing that no matter who you are you can still be as powerful as the rest.”

The mural will represent the North West when it goes on display in the Park this week, lining up with murals created in other UK regions including the Midlands, Tyneside and London. 

Jane Ashworth OBE, StreetGames Chief Executive, said: “The StreetGames festivals are wonderful opportunities for our projects to come together and celebrate doorstep sport. The young people enjoy the competitive elements of the day, but what is also important to them is to meet their peers from similar backgrounds and to feel part of a national movement.”

View more photos of Amir at the festival on the StreetGames Facebook page »  

Listen to Amir being interviewed about StreetGames on talkSPORT