Children from schools across Slough and Maidenhead took part in a Festival of Wellbeing on Thursday.

The day long festival held at Magnet Leisure Centre, Maidenhead gave them the opportunity to try out sports ranging from basketball and fencing to taekwondo, handball and yoga - thanks to taster sessions run by local clubs.

It formed part two of the Active Communities Brighter Future initiative launched last year by the national charity SportInspired and Takeda UK to improve the mental wellbeing of children living in Slough and Maidenhead.

It was the first SportInspired programme to take place in the region.

In the run up to the festival children had participated in Team Spirit sessions, where they were taught the ‘five ways to wellbeing’ and learned about healthy eating as recommended in the Childhood Obesity Strategy. Following last week's festival the children will now decide which sport they would like to keep practising and each of the participating schools will offer this as an after-school club for the rest of the year.

Slough's MP Tan Dhesi said: “This is an important initiative as Slough has significant rates of childhood obesity. With nearly 300 children from Slough and the wider area having participated in the Festival of Wellbeing, I hope that there will be a long-term positive impact on the local community. I’m glad the event was such a success.”

The three primary schools represented at the festival were from Slough – Ryvers in Trelawney Avenue, Littledown in Stoke Road and Castleview in Woodstock Avenue.Also taking part were four secondary schools from Slough, Langley and Maidenhead. They were Langley Academy in Langley Road, Baylis Court in Gloucester Avenue, Lynch Hill in Garrard Road, Slough and Desborough College in Shoppenhangers Road, Maidenhead.

The Mayor and Mayoress of the Royal Borough Cllr John Lenton and Margaret Lenton came along to give their support.