HARTPURY students are playing a key role in a bid to bring the Special Olympics back to Gloucestershire.

With the county having not run the event for a number of years, nine Hartpury students are hoping their support and input into a taster event will help the event to be a fixture in the county’s sporting calendar again in future.

The Extended Diploma Sports Coaching students lent a helping hand as more than 400 people took part in a taster day at Cheltenham’s Prince of Wales Stadium. The students took part in a variety of roles including working alongside head coaches to deliver indoor golf, cricket and tennis activities.

The group also collected feedback from those who attended to find out which sports they enjoyed most and which ones they would be likely to participate in again.

“The event was a huge success and it couldn’t have gone ahead without the help of our volunteers. The Hartpury students were really helpful and enthusiastic, helping to contribute to a wonderful event,” said Jenny Rutter, the event’s organiser.

The students are now looking to be involved in another major event which will be held in March next year with training and workshops having been set up for potentially all of the coaching students at Hartpury ahead of the event.

Hartpury’s Subject Leader for General Sport, Dan Robinson, said: “This is a really great cause for our students to be involved with. Not only do they get to build up their coaching skills in different sports, but they are also supporting a great bid to bring an amazing event back to our county.”