AN INITIATIVE to get more kids active across the city has proved so popular that Coventry Sports Foundation are hoping to expand the innovative move.
Designed to tackle rising levels of child obesity, Centre AT7 has offered 200 activity cards to a local primary school which will entitle pupils to 1600 hours of free sport.
Grangehurst Primary is the first school to join the scheme and pupils have already committed hours of free time to sports including dodgeball, gymnastics and archery.
Gez Murphy, sports development officer at Centre AT7, said: “Reports have revealed child obesity is on the rise.
“We decided to tackle the issue head on by approaching local schools and speaking to children directly to encourage them to participate in after-school sport.
“The aim of giving out the activity cards for free – they normally cost £5 – is to give young children a taster of what is available at the centre so that it is something they continue long term.
“The cards are already proving popular, many children have returned and their parents are repurchasing new cards week after week.”
The initiative is set to expand across the Coventry Sports Foundation’s three other centres in the city – including the Xcel Leisure Centre and Alan Higgs Centre.
Wendy Jackson, community development manager at Coventry Sports Foundation, highlighted that the benefits of the activity card initiative have been recognised by both parents and schools.
She added: “The after school activities are a great opportunity for kids and will engage them in alternative sporting activities.”
The classes, which run from 4pm until 6pm every weekday, serve as a great resource for working parents who might struggle to find childcare during the hours between the end of school and the end of the working day.
Wendy said: “In the new year we are hoping to deliver more assemblies and roll the scheme out to around eight schools located near Centre AT7.
“In the long term, we hope to expand and provide the initiative across all our leisure centres in the city.”
