Firstly I would like to thank our sponsors: ital laundry and la Vecchiaparriola in helping to make our entry possible.

After a slow start at recruiting entrants, many telephone calls and knocking on doors (I felt like a double glazing salesman!).

We collected 26 children willing to take part; training has been good fun for all the children taking part. The parents also had a good time and I would like to thank them for their help.

The games are not just about winning, trophies, medals they are about young adults coming together, having fun and socializing which we Italians seem to have forgotten how to do!! Good luck to everyone taking part.

I feel saddened that with less than 400 entries and only 6 teams that the games are getting smaller every year we are to blame.

Have we forgotten our roots? It is getting harder with school commitments and other activities and with second and third generation Italians but together we can be great (look at the Romans) it is up to us to support and maintain our heritage through supporting events and encouraging our children to do so.

I am also a director of a charity called Il Futuro, which is working to create an Italian presence in London today.