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The British Heart Foundation urges schools to encourage children to get fit and heart healthy
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) wants to help schools to get pupils more active by signing up to one of its popular physical activity initiatives: Jump Rope For Heart or Ultimate Dodgeball.
The initiatives organised by the BHF promote the importance of maintaining a healthy heart through regular exercise whilst raising funds for the BHF's life-saving research. The scheme also allows schools to keep 20% of the money they have raised, which they can put towards new equipment and resources for their school.
Since its launch in 1987, almost 30,000 schools have registered to take part in Jump Rope For Heart. The initiative is open to schools who teach children aged five to 13. This popular event raises money to fund the vital work of the BHF. The school also receives a skipping kit (containing teaching resources) which is worth over £100. Once the children are confident with the skipping games, schools organise a sponsored “Jump Off’’.
Ultimate Dodgeball has been running since 2009 and has seen almost 5,000 schools register to take part in the initiative. It is a fun, inclusive game for boys and girls that can be played by children of different abilities from ages seven to 18. Schools and groups receive a dodgeball pack worth £30, the kit provides everything they need to play and to organise their own sponsored tournament including three dodgeballs.
As well going towards the recommended one hour of physical activity a day, the activities help schools fulfil criteria linked to the physical activity strand of the curriculum. They can also contribute to the achievement of a Healthy Schools or Active Schools type award.
Beck Bayram, Events Project Manager at the BHF, says: “We really want to encourage as many schools as possible to get involved in our physical activity initiatives. The projects are designed to be fun for the children but also to educate them about having a healthy heart and keeping active.
“A wide range of our children’s resources are available free of charge. But we can only do this thanks to donations of time and money – such as the sponsorship raised from these initiatives. The money raised will also help the BHF to fund life-saving research into coronary heart disease, the UK’s single biggest killer.”
To find out more about the BHF’s schools’ initiatives or to download a an information leaflet, please visit bhf.org.uk/everyonewins