Top British sports stars will inspire youngsters at a Gifted and Talented PE conference being held at the University of Bedfordshire next week (Tuesday 3 July).

The event entitled ‘Moving on Up’, is aimed at 16 and 17 year olds from Bedfordshire and Luton schools who want to learn more about how far their talent might take them and the issues they might face on the way to competing at an elite level.

The stellar line-up includes:

• Gail Emms (photo) from Bedford – The All England Badminton Champion who has won Commonwealth gold and Olympic mixed double silver
• Maggie Alphonsi – England Rugby Vice-Captain who was named International Women’s Rugby Personality of the Year last year. She graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science from the University in 2006
• Victoria Pendleton from Stotfold – Crowned World Cycling Champion at the 2007 UCI Track Cycling World Championship
• Matt Douglas from Milton Keynes - Competed in the 400m hurdles in the Athens and Sydney Olympics and is currently fourth fastest in the UK
• Mike Rayer – The Bedford Blues Rugby Club First Team Manager has earned 23 caps playing for Wales during his career
• Femi Akinsanya – Currently the World Masters indoor triple jump champion and ranked in the British top ten
• Dawn Airton – Former England rugby player and English Institute of Sport Performance Lifestyle Manager

Senior Lecturer in the School of PE and Sport Sciences, Ian Roberts, has organised the event in collaboration with Bedfordshire and Luton Schools Physical Education. He said: “This will be an inspirational day for the young people. We are incredibly pleased to have such a star-studded array of elite performers, but also such a talented range of local sports performers taking part.

“Working closely with such sporting greats will give them an appreciation of what being an elite level performer involves, the challenges they might encounter and where the support is should they need it. It will also offer them guidance on lifestyle management strategies to cope with the pressure of performing at a top level.”

The event will include knowledge and understanding workshops led by the elite performers, as well as sessions with academics from the University who will give them an insight into the possible courses and careers available to them in higher education.

There will also be a tour of the £8m state-of-the-art Physical Education and Sport Science Centre which opened earlier in the year. The new facility is one of the single-biggest sporting developments in the county in recent years, and is expected to be used as a training facility during the 2012 Olympic Games, if Bedfordshire is accepted as a pre-Games training camp.

If you are interested in attending the event contact Ian Roberts on 01234 793389 or email ian.roberts@beds.ac.uk. For further information about studying PE and sport at the University contact 01234 793279 or visit www.beds.ac.uk/courses/bysubject/spoexe