THE 2016 Farnham Community Games enjoyed good bank holiday weather for a change and this resulted in record attendances.

More than 2,000 visitors attended and enjoyed the taster sessions provided by some 30 community sports clubs at the joint venues of the Farnham Rugby Club and the David Lloyd Club.

The annual event is a legacy initiative taken up by Farnham stemming from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, although the real inspiration this time around came from the fantastic GB performances in Rio.

Jeremy Hunt MP attended the event and he is a huge supporter of the Farnham Community Games, having attended previously, and is particularly keen on the opportunities the day provides to encourage active lifestyles.

He was supported by the Mayor of Waverley, Christopher Storey, the Deputy Mayor of Farnham, Mike Hodge, and the chairman of Farnham Rugby Club, Geoff Robins.

Each one enthusiastically took part in the opening event, a boccia skills test. Boccia is an established Paralympic Games sport.

The guest sports celebrity - who won the boccia challenge - was Isobel Pooley, an outstanding British high jumper, who missed the Rio Olympic Games through injury and who had her head shaven at the Farnham Community Games to promote and raise money for Macmillan Cancer in conjunction with Eagle Radio.

Craig Scott, from Carlisle in Cumbria, on holiday in the area with his family, said: “What a fantastic event for the local community, we had a really enjoyable afternoon and we can only envy the fantastic sports day event that Farnham provides for the local community.

“We especially enjoyed the opening event with Farnham Rock Choir as well as the huge range of sports activities we could try out.”

The annual event is co-ordinated by the Farnham Sports Council and the aim of the Community Games is to involve key partners and community sports clubs to promote sport and active lifestyles in the community.

The key organisations backing the Farnham event are the host venues, Farnham Rugby Club and the David Lloyd Club, along with Waverley Borough Council, Farnham Town Council, Active Surrey and Sainsbury’s in Water Lane.

Event organiser David Gill, the chairman of Farnham Sports Council, said: “We’d like to extend a big thank you to our key partners and the host venues, without whom the Games wouldn’t be possible, including all the local sports clubs and volunteers who rallied round and helped to make the day a big success.

“A fantastic effort by everyone involved and the hard work and effort in staging the community sports day is all worthwhile when you see the happy faces and a great turn-out by the local community.”

One of the organisers, Sue Keogh, an enthusiastic supporter of the event, attended the day with husband, Paul who ran the rugby activities.

Mrs Keogh added: “It was our wedding anniversary today but I’ve spent so much of our married years at Farnham Rugby Club that it seemed quite normal being there for our anniversary day!”

Other significant contributors to the 2016 event included Eagle Radio, which broadcast live at the event and the opening ceremony was brilliantly performed by the Farnham Rock Choir.

Eagle Radio presenter Lewis Mason said: “We loved being a part of the Farnham Community Games. I even had a go in the boxing ring after we’d finished recording.

“It was great fun and hopefully sport in Farnham has received a big boost from the day. There’s no doubt that it was a very popular and well-organised community event.”

Chris Lee ran the mini-Superstars event and many young children were the recipients of medals at the end of the event.

Mr Lee said: “It’s a huge community event and we try to give everyone a day to remember by putting the fun into sport and we hope the result is that more people will make sport and exercise a higher priority in their lives, whatever their age or ability.”

On the evidence of feedback from visitors, social media and the local sports clubs there is no doubt that many people, of all ages, loved the Farnham Community Games and some visitors will have been inspired to take up new sports as a result of the taster day.

The event was entirely free to the local community, thanks to the fund-raising, the voluntary time and the initiative provided by the Farnham Sports Council and the support of local sports clubs.