A rallying call has been made to a south Norfolk village to get active in the hope more people from the community will participate in a county-wide competition next year.

Every year, the Norfolk Village Games sees communities across the county go head-to-head and compete in a range of sports including archery, badminton, table tennis, football, rounders and tennis.

This year, more than 8,000 people from 88 villages across the county took part in sports roadshows, district games and competitions.

This culminated in September when the top 28 villages from across Norfolk gathered together at University of East Anglia Sportspark to battle it out to be called 'The Best in Norfolk'.

Three succeeded – with Docking, Feltwell and Downham Market taking the honours.

Next year's event, due to take place in June, is set to be bigger than ever in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics.

And as part of Pledge 2012, Clair Burrows hopes to get as many people from Aslacton and Great Moulton, near Long Stratton, taking part so they can enter every event.

Ms Burrows, 38, said: 'After entering the Village Games this year, it brought the villages of Aslacton and Great Moulton together and we all really enjoyed participating in a wide range of sporting activities.

'It would be brilliant if we can get even more people turning out next year and getting involved in this fantastic project.

'The main challenge is reaching out to more people in the villages and getting them to participate in the roadshows leading up to the Village Games and then actually committing to participate and make the date of the district qualifiers.'

Pledge 2012 is being run by Active Norfolk in association with Norfolk County Council and NHS Norfolk and supported by the Eastern Daily Press and BBC Radio Norfolk.

It calls on the people of Norfolk to make a personal commitment which can be anything from running 5km to doing more activities with the family. There are a range of 'pledge packs' available and everyone who makes a pledge will be given support to help them achieve their goal.

Their face will also become part of Norfolk's giant 2012 Flag being unveiled before the Games.

As reported last week, Bridget Reasbeck from Hellesdon, pledged to take part in last Sunday's Norwich Half Marathon. The mum-of-two, who works as a dietitian at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, completed the 13.1 mile run in two hours and 15 minutes.

She said she 'loved every second' of the race and has now pledged to complete a full marathon next year.

She is trying to source a space in the Virgin London Marathon to run for the FHAB Kids Charity.

kate.scotter@archant.co.uk