The Gibraltar Sports and Leisure Authority's Summer Sports and Leisure Programme and Stay and Play Programme came to a close today, Friday 28 August, with a Water Day celebration.

Both programmes began on Monday 6 July and ran for eight weeks.

The Summer Sports and Leisure Programme, now in its 27th year, offered free activity for children and young people across Gibraltar. Sports Train ran on weekday mornings for children aged 5 to 14 at the Bayside, Europa and Lathbury Sports Complexes, Sandy Bay, the Europa Beach Volleyball Courts and Europa Pool. More than 50 activities were delivered in partnership with local sports associations, from football, basketball and cricket to sailing, boxing and esports. Family Fun Evenings ran on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer, and the Sports Leadership Awards gave young people the chance to train and qualify as sports leaders.

The Sports Train Support and Integration Service, delivered in partnership with PossAbilities, supported children and young people who access learning support services in schools so that they could take part alongside their peers.

The Stay and Play Programme provided a summer of sport, arts, music, life skills development, emotional wellbeing support and continued learning for children with supported needs, with places taken up through referrals from St Martin's School. Sessions ran on weekday mornings. This year the programme was supported by Community Care Domiciliary Services Limited, whose carers worked alongside GSLA leaders throughout the summer to provide a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment for every child.

This summer saw 1,079 sign-ups to Sports Train and 52 children take part in Stay and Play, with a team of 202 staff, volunteers, carers and PossAbilities staff delivering the programmes.

Photographs from today's Water Day celebration accompany this release.

The Minister for Sport, the Hon Leslie Bruzon, said: Today's Water Day was the perfect way to end the summer. For eight weeks the GSLA's programmes have filled mornings and evenings with sport, play and friendship for children of every age and every ability, and that is exactly what they are there to do. My thanks go to the GSLA team, to the sports associations, to PossAbilities and to the carers from CCDSL, and to every leader and volunteer who gave these children a summer to remember. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2027."