Seashell Trust’s annual inter-special college sports day is going for gold with disabled youngsters from across the region.

This year it has become the North West Games and it is being held in partnership with Natspec – National Association of Specialist Colleges.

The games, begun by Cheadle Hulme charity Seashell Trust in 2010 with a handful of participants, has grown into a regional event with 180 students from 13 special colleges across the north west.

Maureen Wilkins, teacher and curriculum area for sports at Seashell Trust’s Royal College Manchester, who is organising the games, said: “This is the first time we have linked up with Natspec, which has also part-funded the event.

‘The day is going to be bigger than ever bringing people across the north west to participate in activities and to feel part of something.”

North West Games at SportCity

The students will be coming to together to take part in a variety of sports and make new friends at SportCity on Thursday, May 25, 10.30am-2pm.

Colleges which are taking part include Activates CES, Arden, Aquinas, Beaumont, Bridge, Chatsworth Futures, Cheadle, David Lewis, Fairfield, Keystones, Marple, and Pengwern Wales as well as Royal College Manchester.

All the athletes aged between 19-21 have varying degrees of physical and profound learning disabilities and some will have one-to-one support so they are able to participate against other athletes.

There will be 14 teams with gold, silver and bronze certificates awarded to the teams with the most points.

The results in the javelin, shot put and bean bag throwing events will go forward to a national trophy against results from the other three regional events.

Seashell’s corporate supporters are staffing the event.

Maureen added: “We also have 60 volunteers on the day, from Bruntwood, Mace, Vodafone, Lloyds and JP Morgan, without whom this event would be very difficult to organise – as well as the amazing Seashell staff.”

Seashell Trust educates and cares for children and young people with some of the most profoundly disabilities in the country.

It places particular importance on giving their students and children in the local community access to sport via CADS = Seashell Trust’s integrated sports clubs and summer holiday clubs for children with or without disabilities.

• GO-TRI Seashell, the British Triathlon-backed inclusive event at Seashell’s Stanley Road campus in Cheadle Hulme, takes place on Sunday, July 16. To book places, go to crazylegsevents.fikket.com or call 0161 610 0153