The Youth Sport Trust is asking schools, teachers, parents and organisations across the UK to get behind a national summer of school sports days aimed at "helping young people to recover from a year like no other".

Most school sports days and competitions were cancelled last year amid the global pandemic.

Now the children’s charity has announced its annual National School Sport Week campaign is up and running again with a new theme of ‘Together Again’. It is encouraging as many schools, families and communities as possible to sign up and pledge to hold a ‘Together Again’ school sports day between June 19 and 25.

Since young people returned to school, the Youth Sport Trust has been working with other sports organisation to help promote an active recovery, harnessing the power of sport and play to help young people to reconnect and recover. This year National School Sport Week is partnering with the Together campaign to bring the themes to life for young people through sport.

Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive Ali Oliver said: “We are so happy to announce the launch of this year’s National School Sport Week. With the planned lifting of restrictions, we hope this June will see a summer of refocused Together Again school sports days, celebrating togetherness and helping young people to recover from a year like no other.

“Sports days don’t have to be about being the best, strongest or quickest; they are a celebration of bringing us together and learning key skills like communication, empathy, teamwork and resilience.

“To support every child to recover from the effects of the pandemic, National School Sport Week will be a truly collective national effort with schools, sporting organisations, and families up and down the country playing their part. Sport has such a crucial role to play in promoting young people’s wellbeing and we can’t wait to see young people, families and friends come together again.”

Everyone who signs up to National School Sport Week will receive free resources from the Youth Sport Trust, including the ultimate guide to staging an inclusive sports day, top tips on harnessing the power of sport to bring young people together and advice on how to give young people a voice in organising their sports days.

Click here to find out more and sign up to take part in this summer’s National School Sport Week.