Schools in Hethersett have been awarded a grant of over £8,500 to help them to continue living the Olympic dream.

The award comes under the national Plan Your 2012 scheme whereby schools across England were invited to apply for grants of up to £8,000 in the joint initiative of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the Department of Education.
Plan Your 2012 sees schools joining the London 2012 Get Set network which recognises their passion for the Games and their success in building partnerships across the local community. The schools in the Hethersett Cluster are either members or have applied to become members of the network.

The local schools involved include Hethersett Woodside Infant and Nursery, Hethersett Junior, Hethersett High, Cringleford Primary, Little Melton Primary, Mulbarton Infant and Mulbarton Junior, has been awarded £8,580 to help organise a host of Olympic themed events between now and the Games.

LOCOG Chair Sebastian Coe said: "The grants will mean that more schools and more young people can be inspired by and benefit from local leadership and best practice in their area. Members of the Get Set Network like these Norfolk schools are brilliant advocates for London 2012 - demonstrating what a positive difference linking learning to the Games can make to young people.

"Participating in Plan Your 2012 gives engaged schools a fantastic opportunity to take the lead in supporting other schools and their local community, enabling them to make the most of London 2012.”

The Hethersett Cluster bid was put together by Neil Henery, Head of Cringleford Primary School and Fiona Whiting, Extended Schools Co-ordinator for the Hethersett Cluster.

"We are looking to celebrate all the excellent work that the schools have done in their local communities," Fiona said.

Children's Minister Tim Loughton said: "Sport can bring out the best in everyone and the London 2012 Games is a great opportunity for us to inspire a generation of young people. Schools are spreading the Olympic and Paralympic values across their local communities as well as providing more opportunities for competitive sport. It will give schools the chance to create their own legacy that will last far beyond 2012."

Events being organised in the Hethersett Cluster Schools include animation work, short films, art workshops, a celebration of countries and cultures, a paralympian sports event, a taster sports day, wheelchair basketball, an Olympic themed dance project and a poetry competition.

Hethersett High School will also be undertaking an engineering art programme to create the village’s own Olympic torch. A film will also be produced of the various events.