RGU News Article Date Posted: 22-Mar-2006 Valid Until: 22-Apr-2006
Calcutta Cup to visit Aberdeen to help launch Active Schools
The Calcutta Cup – the prestigious rugby accolade lifted by Scotland last month - will join three Olympic gold medallists in Aberdeen on Friday to launch the local stage of the national Active Schools initiative.
Curling stars Debbie Knox, Janice Rankin and Rhona Martin, who won gold medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics, will join Lord Provost John Reynolds at the Beach Leisure Centre for the launch.
The innovative sportscotland scheme, which is funded by the Scottish Executive, aims to get to get children involved in fun, physical activities before, during and after school.
Rugby is a key part of the project and in a major coup for Aberdeen, the Active Schools team has successfully arranged for the Calcutta Cup to be brought to the City to feature in the event.
The Lord Provost will 'open the gates' of Aberdeen to the initiative and Rhona Martin will address the invited guests, including representatives from sportscotland, NHS Grampian, Grampian Police, RGU, Aberdeen University and Aberdeen College.
There will also be further representation from the world of international sport, Aberdeen Football Club, the Grampian Institute of Sport and the business community.
The event will showcase some of the physical activities that the Active Schools Aberdeen team will be co-ordinating in the City over the next three years.
Around 100 pupils from City schools will be at the launch to try out some of the activities on offer.
Active Schools Aberdeen will be working with Aberdeen City Council representatives from physical education, outdoor education, sports development and the Big Lottery to arrange the various activities.
The initial phase of the Active Schools programme in Aberdeen began in September, 2005, with the appointment of four Active Schools Co-ordinators (Primary).
Other team members are currently being recruited and the team expects to be fully operational by the middle of April. Each will be allocated a group of schools.
The current team – Wendy Carrick, Rebecca Davidson, Mark Pain and Michelle White – work with primary schools across the City to get children involved in fun, physical activities before, during and after school.
Activities include active travel, active play and dance as well as sport specific activities such as basketball and hockey as well as rugby.
The co-ordinators also build on current schemes aimed at helping children to keep fit, such as after-school sports coaching while developing new opportunities for kids to get active by forging links between community groups and primary schools.
Brian Morgan, Aberdeen City Council's Active Schools Manager, said: "This is an exciting time for everyone involved in the Active Schools programme and it's particularly exciting to have both the Calcutta Cup and Olympic gold medal winners with us for the launch.
"The key to the success of this strategy will be the recruitment of volunteers from the local community who have the time and the motivation to help.
"The co-ordinators will be pleased to support any parent or enthusiastic individual to undergo relevant training.
"Active Schools was identified in February 2003 as a key element of the Scottish Executive's drive to get more Scots more active – a commitment which was outlined in the National Physical Activity Strategy.
"Since then, the Executive has been developing a range of partnerships and drawing up action plans to drive this pledge forward, under the banner of the Healthy Living Campaign, and we are delighted that the Active Schools programme is well underway here in Aberdeen."
As a result of sportscotland's successful work with the original School Sport Co-ordinator and Active Primary School Co-ordinator pilot programmes, the Scottish Executive has allocated £24million to sportscotland to roll out the new Active Schools scheme to more schools throughout Scotland.
* For more information on the Active Schools programme within your local school or community please call 01224 346286 or e-mail activeschools@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Press ReleaseActive Schools launch
