News Archive
Roger Black launches fitness scheme in Woking
FORMER Olympic athlete Roger Black has launched a fitness scheme for young people in Woking.
The Junior Summer Fitness Challenge was organised by Woking Leisure Centre in partnership with Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex to motivate children aged between four and 14 to increase their levels of physical activity.
Participants are encouraged to try as wide a variety of activities as possible, anything from walking the dog and cycling round the block to a game of tennis or swimming. The aim is for each young person to complete 30 physical activities over the summer to earn themselves a medal and certificate.
As an added incentive, each child will receive a free fitness diary to record all of their activities and for every ten they complete, Woking Leisure Centre will reward them with a free swimming pass to the Lagoon Pool at Woking's Pool in the Park.
Coun Michael Smith said: "Obese children are a growing worry, nationally. This initiative offers a great opportunity for children to have fun being active with their friends this summer.
“Woking's Junior Summer Fitness Challenge will help to promote a healthier lifestyle for young people in our area but, more importantly, will be fun for them too. I hope so much that lots of families will get involved and that everyone will have a good time getting fitter."
FORMER Olympic athlete Roger Black has launched a fitness scheme for young people in Woking.
The Junior Summer Fitness Challenge was organised by Woking Leisure Centre in partnership with Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex to motivate children aged between four and 14 to increase their levels of physical activity.
Participants are encouraged to try as wide a variety of activities as possible, anything from walking the dog and cycling round the block to a game of tennis or swimming. The aim is for each young person to complete 30 physical activities over the summer to earn themselves a medal and certificate.
As an added incentive, each child will receive a free fitness diary to record all of their activities and for every ten they complete, Woking Leisure Centre will reward them with a free swimming pass to the Lagoon Pool at Woking's Pool in the Park.
Coun Michael Smith said: "Obese children are a growing worry, nationally. This initiative offers a great opportunity for children to have fun being active with their friends this summer.
“Woking's Junior Summer Fitness Challenge will help to promote a healthier lifestyle for young people in our area but, more importantly, will be fun for them too. I hope so much that lots of families will get involved and that everyone will have a good time getting fitter."
Centres get cash boost to help lure kids
FITNESS facilities across Bolton are introducing children’s equipment and programmes in a bid to get families back into leisure centres.
Substantial investment has been committed into youth health and fitness within Bolton Community Leisure’s (BLC) centres, which are operated by Serco Leisure.
In partnership with Bolton Council, the centres are rolling out a number of initiatives to get kids active and encourage their parents to join them, including offering free unlimited swimming sessions to under 16’s.
Steven Bainbridge was appointed youth health and fitness coordinator, specifically to drive the initiatives forward.
He said: “It’s time to get children and families back into the leisure centres. Leisure centres have been going downhill for a long time, losing out to the private sector because they are not providing enough for the community.
“We’re a lot cheaper than the chains because we are a leisure trust and now we can offer a similar product. We’re really going for it with children’s activities.”
Funded by the local authority, other initiatives include the installation of dance mats and children’s gym equipment, and the launch of a programme of exercise classes for the summer.
One leisure centre is already holding father and son swimming sessions, with mother and daughter sessions planned for the near future.
A ‘quid a kid’ scheme has also been launched – inviting children to participate in activities such as roller discos and rugby training for one pound a session – and a new junior membership structure has been put into place.
Steven added: “With all the government and media attention, parents are a lot more aware of their children’s health and fitness and we now have accessible facilities for all the family.
“As children become more overweight, many of them don’t want to participate in group sports so it’s important we provided something for them.”
In September, BLC will be starting the FIA’s GO programme with two high schools in the area, and launching a MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do It!) programme in association with Bolton Primary Care Trust.
FITNESS facilities across Bolton are introducing children’s equipment and programmes in a bid to get families back into leisure centres.
Substantial investment has been committed into youth health and fitness within Bolton Community Leisure’s (BLC) centres, which are operated by Serco Leisure.
In partnership with Bolton Council, the centres are rolling out a number of initiatives to get kids active and encourage their parents to join them, including offering free unlimited swimming sessions to under 16’s.
Steven Bainbridge was appointed youth health and fitness coordinator, specifically to drive the initiatives forward.
He said: “It’s time to get children and families back into the leisure centres. Leisure centres have been going downhill for a long time, losing out to the private sector because they are not providing enough for the community.
“We’re a lot cheaper than the chains because we are a leisure trust and now we can offer a similar product. We’re really going for it with children’s activities.”
Funded by the local authority, other initiatives include the installation of dance mats and children’s gym equipment, and the launch of a programme of exercise classes for the summer.
One leisure centre is already holding father and son swimming sessions, with mother and daughter sessions planned for the near future.
A ‘quid a kid’ scheme has also been launched – inviting children to participate in activities such as roller discos and rugby training for one pound a session – and a new junior membership structure has been put into place.
Steven added: “With all the government and media attention, parents are a lot more aware of their children’s health and fitness and we now have accessible facilities for all the family.
“As children become more overweight, many of them don’t want to participate in group sports so it’s important we provided something for them.”
In September, BLC will be starting the FIA’s GO programme with two high schools in the area, and launching a MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do It!) programme in association with Bolton Primary Care Trust.
Cash injection to boost school sport
A £100m campaign to give every child five hours of sport each week has been unveiled by the government.
The plans include launching competition between schools, a network of competition leaders and a new National School Sports Week.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the programme while visiting the West London Academy, a school with an excellent reputation for sport, with Sport Secretary James Purnell, Children, Schools Secretary Ed Balls, and Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes.
He called for a "united team effort" from the Government, schools, parents, volunteers and the sporting world to make sport a part of every child's day.
He said: "We need to put school sport back where it belongs - playing a central role in the school day. I was lucky enough to have primary and secondary schools that had sport at the centre of their ethos. I want every child to have that opportunity to take part.
"Whatever their natural ability and whatever their age sport and activity can make our children healthier, raise self-confidence and self-esteem. It develops teamwork, discipline and a sense of fair play. Values that will stand young people and the country in good stead in the years to come."
It is hoped the scheme will help strengthen the competitive framework for school sport - from grassroots to elite.
Steve Sinnott, of the Nation Union of Teachers, added: “Sport is vital in enthusing and giving a sense of direction to youngsters especially those in their teens.
“I hope this important and welcome boost in funding will also trigger the rebuilding of this country’s youth services. They have been in catastrophic decline over the years.
“Sport should be part of an overall strategy for channelling the energy of youngsters away from boredom and excessive hours in front of the TVs and computers and towards healthy and constructive social lives outside school.”
* What do you think? Send your letters to Francess Sykes, Wharncliffe Publishing, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS or email fs@whpl.net.
A £100m campaign to give every child five hours of sport each week has been unveiled by the government.
The plans include launching competition between schools, a network of competition leaders and a new National School Sports Week.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the programme while visiting the West London Academy, a school with an excellent reputation for sport, with Sport Secretary James Purnell, Children, Schools Secretary Ed Balls, and Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes.
He called for a "united team effort" from the Government, schools, parents, volunteers and the sporting world to make sport a part of every child's day.
He said: "We need to put school sport back where it belongs - playing a central role in the school day. I was lucky enough to have primary and secondary schools that had sport at the centre of their ethos. I want every child to have that opportunity to take part.
"Whatever their natural ability and whatever their age sport and activity can make our children healthier, raise self-confidence and self-esteem. It develops teamwork, discipline and a sense of fair play. Values that will stand young people and the country in good stead in the years to come."
It is hoped the scheme will help strengthen the competitive framework for school sport - from grassroots to elite.
Steve Sinnott, of the Nation Union of Teachers, added: “Sport is vital in enthusing and giving a sense of direction to youngsters especially those in their teens.
“I hope this important and welcome boost in funding will also trigger the rebuilding of this country’s youth services. They have been in catastrophic decline over the years.
“Sport should be part of an overall strategy for channelling the energy of youngsters away from boredom and excessive hours in front of the TVs and computers and towards healthy and constructive social lives outside school.”
* What do you think? Send your letters to Francess Sykes, Wharncliffe Publishing, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS or email fs@whpl.net.
Welsh schools race ahead of target
WELSH Schools are on course to smash the government’s target to get pupils doing an hour of physical activity a day, a report has revealed.
The Sports Council for Wales says it has already seen a three per cent increase in the number of primary school children regularly taking part in sport and physical activity and a further three per cent increase, since 2004, in children aged seven to 11 doing the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity, five days a week.
Chair of the Sports Council for Wales, Philip Carling, said: “The results of this survey are particularly encouraging however there are still major challenges ahead as we continue to build towards a healthier and more active nation.
“We need to ensure that the good work that has already begun can continue well into the future and supporting children and young people to lead an active lifestyle is a sure fire way of developing active, healthy adults.”
The survey also demonstrates that there has also been an increase in the number of children taking part in extra-curricular sporting activity with 84 per cent now getting active outside of school hours – a four per cent point increase on 2004 – with 63 per cent of children now taking part at least once a week.
However, the survey highlights that boys (49 per cent) are more likely than girls (38 per cent) to be sufficiently active within school hours and the evidence suggests that this gender gap is increasing.
However this makes little difference to levels of extra-curricular participation with 63 per cent of boys and 62 per cent of girls now taking part regularly.
One of the projects responsible for the rise is the lottery funded Dragon Sport scheme a campaign to get primary school children hooked on out-of-school-hours sport.
At its launch in October 2000, the scheme has exceeded all expectations with 92 per cent of primary schools in Wales are now actively involved.
Rhodri Glyn Thomas, the Welsh Assembly Government Minister responsible for sport said:
“These results are particularly encouraging but we must continue to work together to provide the opportunities for young people to be more active, more often so that we are able to see a continued improvement in the future.”
WELSH Schools are on course to smash the government’s target to get pupils doing an hour of physical activity a day, a report has revealed.
The Sports Council for Wales says it has already seen a three per cent increase in the number of primary school children regularly taking part in sport and physical activity and a further three per cent increase, since 2004, in children aged seven to 11 doing the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity, five days a week.
Chair of the Sports Council for Wales, Philip Carling, said: “The results of this survey are particularly encouraging however there are still major challenges ahead as we continue to build towards a healthier and more active nation.
“We need to ensure that the good work that has already begun can continue well into the future and supporting children and young people to lead an active lifestyle is a sure fire way of developing active, healthy adults.”
The survey also demonstrates that there has also been an increase in the number of children taking part in extra-curricular sporting activity with 84 per cent now getting active outside of school hours – a four per cent point increase on 2004 – with 63 per cent of children now taking part at least once a week.
However, the survey highlights that boys (49 per cent) are more likely than girls (38 per cent) to be sufficiently active within school hours and the evidence suggests that this gender gap is increasing.
However this makes little difference to levels of extra-curricular participation with 63 per cent of boys and 62 per cent of girls now taking part regularly.
One of the projects responsible for the rise is the lottery funded Dragon Sport scheme a campaign to get primary school children hooked on out-of-school-hours sport.
At its launch in October 2000, the scheme has exceeded all expectations with 92 per cent of primary schools in Wales are now actively involved.
Rhodri Glyn Thomas, the Welsh Assembly Government Minister responsible for sport said:
“These results are particularly encouraging but we must continue to work together to provide the opportunities for young people to be more active, more often so that we are able to see a continued improvement in the future.”
