Two years strong: Bring the Power festival day celebrates the legacy of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth

Bring the Power, which took place at Prince Albert High School in Perry Bar, included opportunities for young people and families to try new sports, learn new skills and provide an inclusive environment for young people across the community to come together and celebrate the legacy of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Special guests included professional boxer Gamal Yafai, who hosted free training sessions throughout the day, and Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker.

Alongside the festival day, United By 2022 has unveiled new data on the positive impact of its five trailblazer programmes, launched in June 2023. Supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund, the programmes aim to create a lasting legacy of the Games by driving social change, improving well-being and fostering inclusivity for years to come.

The trailblazer programmes include the Volunteers Collective, which has seen 695 volunteers still engaged since the Games, volunteering over 20,000 hours across 33 events.

Gen22 has supported 133 young people with employability skills and placements through 14 community organisations. The Social Value programme, which links businesses and community groups, has delivered 373 upskilling and training workshops, including 1-2-1 surgeries and sessions with skilled volunteers.

School engagement programme, Bring the Power, has engaged 3,544 young people through 209 sessions, including 220 teachers and support workers, delivering 30 festival days across nine locations in the West Midlands.

Critical Mass, an inclusive dance programme, has seen 57 participants from across the region complete 82 inclusive dance sessions.

Over the past 12 months, the trailblazer programmes have delivered a verified social value return of £734,335.

Nicola Turner, CEO of United By 2022, commented: “As we celebrate the second anniversary of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, it’s fantastic to reflect on the lasting impact that the Games have had, and continue to have, across our region.

“Our purpose is to ensure that the momentum created by the Games continues to reach the widest possible audience. We will continue to build on this legacy through our trailblazer programmes to ensure a lasting benefit for communities.”

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) said: “Our young people are the future of the West Midlands, and too many of them are not given the support they need to reach their potential. That’s why it’s so important to have initiatives like United By 2022 and Our Community Foundations that empower young people to learn new skills through sport.

“And it’s why I have committed to helping our young people get on in life by recently launching the first phase of my Youth Plan.

“By backing United By 2022, and other initiatives, we have ensured the legacy of the Commonwealth Games lives on in the region. I’m determined that future events we have secured - the European Athletics Championships in 2026, the Invictus Games in 2027 and part of the 2028 Euros – will showcase the best of our region and benefit our residents.”

For more information about United By 2022 visit unitedby2022.com.

By Lauren Howells - Contributor