Coventry City manager Steven Pressley backs the new initiative to bring physical activity programmes to the Coventry and Warwickshire area...
Ferrero, the Football League Trust and Coventry City’s Sky Blues in the Community are today announcing a partnership to deliver a programme for Coventry and Warwickshire schools to encourage children to take part in physical activity, build awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and adopt an active lifestyle.30 schools in the local area will be taking part in the initiative meaning approximately 1,800 children will be moved.
The +Sport Move and Learn Project is part of Ferrero’s global Kinder+Sport initiative designed to encourage healthy and active lifestyles in children across the world. In the UK the programme has a national target to move 21,300 children, through 192,000 hours of activity and education across the UK and Ireland.
Over the course of six weeks, children from Year 5 classes (nine – 10 year olds) will spend nine hours learning about the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Each week the children will take part in a 90 minute session; spending 45 minutes in the classroom covering six different topics related to the body, nutrition, the importance of exercise and information about food groups, in line with the recommendations in the Government’s eatwell plate; and then they will spend 45 minutes taking part in a practical session made up of football, handball and dodgeball (two weeks per sport).
Those schools involved in the project will also be given the opportunity to take part in some activities on the pitch at the Ricoh Arena during half time, at a number of Coventry City home fixtures this season.
David Busst, Director at Sky Blues in the Community said: “We are absolutely delighted to be part of this exciting initiative. Only a small number of club community schemes were chosen for this project for the next 12 months, so we are extremely pleased to be one of those clubs on the back of some of the healthy schools initiatives we have previously run in Coventry and Warwickshire.
“The Football League Trust has developed an excellent relationship with Ferrero and we are very grateful to Ferrero for their support. We have been very impressed with their commitment to health awareness and physical activity amongst children, and their objectives are very closely aligned with ours in terms of healthy communities.”
Coventry City first team manager Steven Pressley was keen to support the scheme saying: “It is great that the club is delivering health awareness initiatives like this in schools in Coventry and Warwickshire.
“Football clubs and players have a big role to play in their local community and programmes like the +Sport Move and Learn project can really have a positive impact on the health of our future generations.”
A spokesperson from Ferrero said: “At Ferrero, we believe that active children are more likely to grow into active adults, and so we are passionate about inspiring future generations to embrace physical exercise, and gain a sense of joy from living an active and healthy life. 12 million children across the world have participated in the Kinder+Sport programme, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with the Football League Trust to bring the benefits of the programme to the UK.
“Football clubs are at the heart of their communities and have a remarkable ability to reach and engage with people. Therefore, working with football clubs across the countries, we know we can make a real difference in ensuring children understand the importance of adopting a healthy and balanced diet alongside regular physical activity.”
Mike Evans, General Manager of the Football League Trust said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ferrero to deliver the +Sport Move and Learn project to children all over the country. We hope to be able to make a real difference in teaching children the importance of a healthy and balanced diet in an educational and fun format.
“We see it as vitally important that companies such as Ferrero value the health and wellbeing of our future generations. By working with us to create and deliver these programmes Ferrero is helping to ensure that the next generation grow up to be healthy and fit adults.”
Aside from Coventry City other top football clubs taking Watford FC; Blackburn Rovers; Charlton Athletic; Derby County; Middlesbrough FC; Sheffield United; and Plymouth Argyle. Meanwhile, the Football Association Ireland will be launching a pilot programme in the Cork area where Ferrero is a large employer - producing 40% of the world’s supply of Tic Tacs out of their Cork factory.
About the +Sport Move and Learn Project
The +Sport Move and Learn Project is a UK in-school programme developed by Ferrero and the Football League Trust as part of Ferrero’s global Kinder + Sport initiative. For 2014/15 each Community Trust will deliver the programme to around 30 schools in their local area.
Over the course of six 90 minute weekly sessions, children will learn about the body, nutrition, the importance of exercise and food groups and take part in a practical session of football, handball and dodgeball.
The programme content has been developed by nutritional and educational and sporting experts in line with the recommendations in the Government’s eatwell plate and its learning outcomes are in line with the National Curriculum for PSHE and Science.
About Kinder+Sport
Kinder+Sport is a responsible global project developed by Ferrero Group aimed at supporting physical activity among young generations.
As one of the Company's core CSR pillars, the programme is designed to promote active lifestyles by encouraging dynamic play and sports among children and their families and stimulating them to make physical activity a regular part of their lives.