SOUTH West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt has announced this year’s Surrey Para Games will be held on Wednesday, July 4.

The annual event, run in conjunction with COINS Foundation and The DFN Foundation, will again take place at Godalming’s Charterhouse Club.

“Stronger involvement from national governing sports bodies and local sports clubs this year will allow children greater, regular participation in sport,” Mr Hunt said.

“It’s all well and good putting on a wonderful, annual event but we want children to regularly engage in sport and physical exercise - this has always been our ultimate goal.”

Sports promoter Active Surrey, which has been involved in the games as part of the Surrey school games programme, since its inception, will work with Hindhead special education needs school (SEND), Stepping Stones, to make the 2018 event bigger and better.

The school, based in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s former home of Undershaw, has agreed to take a leading role in the preparation of the games in a bid to attract more schools and participation.

Stepping Stones will achieve this through school visits and by hosting training courses with support from the games’ Paralympian ambassadors, who include Rachel Morris MBE, Olivia Breen, Lucy Shuker and international Para dressage Rider, Erin Orford.

The event is open to SEND students aged 11 to 15 from Surrey schools and the Charterhouse Club facilities include a sports hall, several studios, a pool, outdoor athletics and astro pitches, which has enable Surrey Para Games to expand the programme of sports on offer.

• Surrey schools interested in getting involved should email Wendy Newton at Active Surrey on: [email protected]