The event had a variety of different information stalls, showing the opportunities – both inside and outside the college – that students can enjoy in the coming year of study. The Sports department were showcasing their Football, Basketball and Mixed Martial Arts academies, the Careers Services team explained the services they offer, the Student Ambassadors team were recruiting and the new CONEL E-SPORTS group displayed their games and schedules.
We also had companies and local organisations in attendance, including: Bywaters, Enfield’s local youth centres, Project Rugby, Middlesex FA, Chance to Shine [Free street cricket], Citizens Advice (Enfield), HSBC, Healthwatch (Enfield), NHS Lets Talk, and Speak like a Native. The Middlesex FA ran a competition in which participants guessed the number of chocolate footballs in the trophy.
Winning student, Abed Elkurdi, from West Lea School, a special educational needs school which works in partnership with CONEL, was very pleased to win the 161 chocolate footballs. He said: “I am going to share them all with my friends.”
Sports Development Co-ordinator, Robert Murphy, said: “The Fresher’s Fair is a great opportunity for us to let the students know about all the amazing sports and enrichment opportunities we offer at the college. We also had competitions going on in standing long jump, sit and reach flexibility test and a grip strength test for which the prize was a week’s gym membership at the college. It was great fun.”
Khaled Ahmed, from Middlesex cricket, said: “It has been great to be here today and recruit so many students. We have been promoting our new Free Street Cricket – it’s a fast-paced version of the game played with a tapeball – a tennis ball wrapped in electrical tape – in small enclosed spaces. With six players per team and 20 balls per innings, it’s cricket’s answer to five-a-side football! We will be at CONEL’s Enfield centre from 6pm-8pm every term time Monday in sports hall.”