MORE than 1,000 children from across Bradford will be competing against one another this Friday at the annual Bradford Winter Schools Games finals day.

Primary, secondary, and special school pupils from schools all over the district will take part in a range of sports, aiming to be crowned Bradford Schools Champions.

Winners on the day will also secure a place at next month’s West Yorkshire Finals where they will represent the whole of Bradford.

This year’s Bradford Games are taking place at Hanson School in Swain House, and the nearby Goals Soccer Centre and Pulse Health and Fitness Centre.

Children will compete in athletics, basketball, boccia, football, netball, and quick sticks hockey.

The finals day follows the local qualifying events which took place last term across the district, which saw more than 5,000 young people taking part, and forms part of the National School Games programme.

Organisations helping to organise this year’s event include Bradford Dragons Basketball Club, Rebels Netball Club, Bradford City Football in the Community, Disability Sport Yorkshire, Yorkshire Martyrs Cheerleading and Dance, and Leeds Beckett University Hockey Club.

Manningham Lane-based Sovereign Health Care is also supporting the competition for the first time.

Officially opening the event on Friday morning will be Sarah Dunn, a rugby league player for Featherstone Rovers and an England Women’s international, and Bex Rayner, a footballer for Doncaster Belles and England Under 17s women.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Abid Hussain will also be attending the opening of the games.

Dr Bob Dugdale, board member of Sovereign Health Care, added: “We are delighted to be supporting Bradford School Games who are doing a great job of motivating young people to get involved with competitive school sport.

“Our donation has been used to purchase the team kit for participants of the Winter School Games – good luck to all involved!”

Winners from Friday’s games will represent Bradford at the West Yorkshire Finals being held at Leeds Beckett University on Tuesday, March 27.