Herefordshire trail blazes scheme to get kids active

Children and young people in Herefordshire are some of the first in the country to enjoy an extended range of sporting activities, thanks to a trail blazing scheme being provided by Herefordshire Council and its partners.

The council has been working with clubs, school sport partnerships and the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sports Partnership to increase the number of children and young people who participate in sporting activities within and beyond the school day. The idea is to combat obesity and encourage young people to enjoy healthier, more active lifestyles.

Schools currently have to provide two hours of quality physical education every week. Last year the government pledged further financial investment so that every school pupil aged five to sixteen could have the opportunity to participate in five hours of sport a week and for every sixteen to nineteen year old to participate in three hours of sport a week.

The Herefordshire and Worcestershire region has been given its funding ahead of schedule as part of a pilot scheme - other regions receive their funding in September. Herefordshire Council's sports development and youth service teams have begun working in partnership with clubs and schools to provide a range of extended activities across the county. As well as traditional sports, alternatives such as boxing, dance, aerobics, cheerleading and canoeing, are being planned.

The aim is to get an additional 2000 children and young people regularly participating in sport and physical activity over the next 12 months.

Representatives from Sport England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport visited the county last week to see one of the schemes where ten youngsters from the Minister Sports College have been enjoying a kayaking course at Bodenham Lake. None of the pupils had experienced kayaking before but within a very short time had mastered the basic skills and were enjoying their fifth session on the water.

Jan Perridge, senior sports development officer, said: "The delegates chose to visit the scheme in Herefordshire because they wanted to see how it could be developed in a rural county where issues such as transport often create barriers for children and young people to participate in sport.

"Our visitors were very impressed with the scheme we have at Bodenham and recognised the value each participant gained from the course. Their experience in Herefordshire will be shared with their colleagues in London to help shape the future of the scheme nationally."

"We recognise that traditional sports don't suit everyone and there are a whole range of alternative activities available. In Herefordshire we're trying to provide opportunities for young people to try different sporting activities, and then help them access clubs once they've found something they enjoy."