Super stars help kids to
PRESENTERS AND PLAYERS TURN OUT FOR LAUNCH
DOZENS of school pupils from the South Side of Glasgow have teamed up with CBBC presenters in a bid to get city kids active.
Mount Florida and Langside Primary youngsters gathered in Hampden yesterday for the launch of Scotland’s Super Movers campaign, which saw the kids taken through an exercise session that was broadcast live to schools throughout the UK.
Each of the 50 sessions encourages pupils to be active while being taught vital parts of the school curriculum, such as a song and dance to encourage children to remember their times tables or punctuation rules.
The videos will be made available on the Super Movers website this week, allowing teachers to incorporate the sessions – all of which are led by sporting or children’s stars – into the classroom.
Footie aces Liam Grimshaw, from Motherwell, and Queen’s Park’s Ross Millen, got in on the action with pupils by helping to take part in the routines.
And BBC sport broadcaster Eilidh Barbour, who is ambassador for the project which was created by the BBC in partnership with the Premier League and SPFL, had her whistle at the ready as she helped the CBBC team to lead the country’s first ever session.
She said: “It’s something I’m real- ly passionate about, sport and being active, and I remember being at school and all you wanted to do was go outside – this is a great opportunity to get kids active.
“I don’t think this is pretending to solve any problems [in terms of childhood obesity] but it’s showing kids about being active and hopefully kids that are active when they are young will go on to be fit and healthy adults.
“The sessions are great fun but they’re quite tricky - you have to have good co-ordination.”
CBBC presenter Naomi Wilkinson was also on hand to celebrate the nationwide launch having previously kicked off England’s successful campaign at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium.
She said: “I wish this had been around when I was at school because it would have helped me learn my times tables.
“It’s about letting kids know that exercise can be used to help their self-esteem, their education and their confidence and by encouraging them to get involved in all of that while having fun, it’s doubly exciting.
“I enjoy being active – I’ve always been involved in dancing and exercise – and I know it makes me feel better, so I think it’s great getting the kids involved in that, too.”
Fellow presenter Ben Shires agreed, adding there was no better way to beat the “post-lunch slump” than getting involved in a fun activity session.
He continued: “Kids haven’t got the cynicism that adults have when it comes to trying new things so when you give them something to do they are quite literally jumping for joy.
“The whole point of Super Movers is being active in both the body and mind, and it really does that.
“You can’t do the session without feeling the benefit yourself. Even after a rehearsal, you realise you’ve had quite a workout and the songs are so catchy it really helps the information go in.
“The kids get so into the whole process.”
Teachers will be able to stream the