Pupils at Harrow Gate Primary Academy enjoyed a visit from Stockton North’s Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Courts and Sentencing, Alex Cunningham, this week as he took part in one of their Joy of moving sessions, designed to inspire active lifestyles in children and to help them develop positive habits for adulthood.
Alex Cunningham MP’s visit with Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation takes places as Ferrero is celebrating a milestone year, having delivered ten years of the Joy of moving programme, through a charity partnership with the EFL Trust and its network of Club Community Organisations.
Joy of moving
Over the last decade, the programme has inspired over 550,000 children to get moving through play and delivered over 2.8 million hours of learning in hundreds of schools.
The programme is based on a unique methodology, developed by Ferrero alongside independent experts, that encourages children to get active using play as the foundation, whilst helping them to develop key skills, such as motor coordination, creativity, and social skills.
After the session,Alex Cunningham MP commended the programme, stating:
“I’m extremely passionate about visiting the local schools and seeing the amazing things they get up to. I had a great day with the pupils and can see that the programme makes a big difference to them. Getting children in the community inspired to get physically active from a young age is very important, so it’s amazing to see initiatives like the Ferrero social responsibility Joy of moving programme leading the charge as it offers an exciting way for young people to learn how to lead an active and happy lifestyle and I would highly recommend taking part.”
Speaking about the milestone anniversary, Charlie Cayton, Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications at Ferrero UK, commented:
“We are incredibly proud to be celebrating ten years of our Joy of moving social responsibility programme.
“The programme has gone from strength to strength over the past decade, and I’m delighted to be able to say that hundreds of thousands of children have been inspired by this brilliant initiative.
“Research shows that 53% of children in the UK do not meet the recommended guidelines of taking part in sport and physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day*, but with our Joy of moving programme, we’ve helped to move more than 550,000 children, delivered nearly three million hours of physical activity and learning in schools, and most importantly, inspired many children and their families to get active while having fun, which we know is key. We’re excited for the programme to continue its success as we look ahead to the future.”
Debbie Cook, Director of Community at the EFL’s charitable arm, the EFL Trust added:
“We’re extremely proud of the Joy of moving programme and the positive impact it has on children each year across EFL communities.
“We’ve achieved so much during the last ten years, reaching hundreds of thousands of children with activities that can help them feel more active and happier through the joy of play.”
In addition to the in-school programme, Ferrero has launched an online Resource Hub to provide parents with freely accessible games and activities that can be downloaded to help to inspire them to get their families moving and active right from home.
