Barnet Homes’ Urban Gamez event is one of the highlights of the summer on Grahame Park Estate in Colindale, and this year it was no different, despite the pressures presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 60 metre running track which usually lines The Concourse was exchanged for a cutting edge self-powered curved treadmill. Children and young people of Grahame Park were invited into the Community Centre over two days, following social distancing guidelines, to take on the challenge of sprinting 60 metres on the treadmill in the quickest time.

After a couple of minutes of practice to get to grips with the new machines, contestants were off to a flyer, clocking up some impressive times. As is the tradition at Urban Gamez, some of the parents had a go on the treadmill too, but it quickly became clear that the running should be left to the younger generation!

After two days of intense competition, the winners collected their medals and prizes on Friday 28 August, presented by The Worshipful The Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet, Cllr Caroline Stock.

The celebrations extended out onto The Concourse on Friday too, with Living Way Ministries providing a BBQ and a chance for local residents to have a catch up with people they may not have seen over months of lockdown.

Barnet Homes would like to thank Morgan Sindall Property Services for their continued sponsorship of the event, as well as F.U.S.E Youth Project, whose youth workers were crucial volunteers over the three days, and the Colindale Communities Trust, for the use of the Community Centre.

We hope that Urban Gamez will be back on The Concourse next summer, for a tenth-anniversary spectacular.