New gaming hub Immersion Virtual Reality Centre in Okehampton will be offering virtual reality sports as part of Okehampton Sports Week to get more people active.

As part of the Okehampton Sports and Fitness Week, run in collaboration with the Okehampton Community and Recreation Association (OCRA), Immersion will be offering people the chance to get involved sports such as virtual skiing and virtual bowling in the hope that it might encourage people who dislike traditional sports to get active.

Owner Ryan Arthurs said: ‘Virtual reality enables people that may not want to access traditional sports to be active and engage with new activities.

‘With Virtual reality you can try skiing, mindfulness, bowling as well as our usual club session and a special golfing competition on Super Sporting Sunday. Come down and give it a go.

‘Visitors are always welcome to come in, have a chat and see what we are about.’

Since it opened six months ago, the centre has got involved with a wide range of people including groups such as Who Let The Dads Out, and helped home-schooled children access new technologies with the aim of providing gaming opportunities to everyone.

In support of mental health month the centre also arranged VR meditation sessions for users to visit relaxing environments including the ocean, space, tranquil lakes and beaches.

Mr Arthurs added: ‘It is great to offer something different for the community, usually people have to travel to Exeter and Plymouth to access new technologies.

‘We now have in Okehampton some of the best gaming facilities in the South West and want to keep increasing what we have to offer here and with the new train service from Exeter it also offers another reason to come to Okehampton and see what we have on offer.’

Mr Arthurs also runs the business South West Coding which goes out to local schools to provide coding, animation and Lego robot building clubs as well as gifted and talented morning where local schools are invited to learn about coding through Lego robots.

Okehampton Sports and Fitness Week is running from July 17 at venues around Okehampton to provide residents with the opportunity to try out a new sport.

The headline event Super Sporting Sunday will take place on July 24 but other activities will take place throughout the week including the Countdown Cricket Competition and the mixed rounders competition.

OCRA was formed in 1990 and aims to offer residents in Okehampton and the surrounding area with the chance to get involved in sports.

For more information about the week, visit OCRA’s website at www.ocrasport.org.uk/sports-festival-2021.