Enfield Council's lottery funding aims to keep children healthy

Enfield Council is set to receive lottery funding to the tune of £250,000 to help get children into sport and work to stop the problem of childhood obesity. The project hopes to introduce children from different backgrounds interested in sport and getting fit.

In total there are 32 projects that are getting a piece of the £5.2 million of National Lottery Funding. The money is administered by sport England - Community Sport Activation Fund. The funding is being presented to the communities in a bid to build on the success of last year's Olympic and Paralympic games and create more sporting activity throughout the UK.

Enfield Council will be using their share of the fund to help bring down obesity in children with a range of different projects aimed at getting youngsters involved with sporting pursuits. Projects include:

Setting up a scheme in which practitioners from different settings - GPs, youth workers, schools etc - can refer young people for sporting or physical activity.

Setting up youth groups for 13 to 19-year-olds who have been referred, to enable them to take part in sporting and physical activity. The groups will ensure a more private setting for participants.

An outreach programme to help motivate and counsel parents towards achieving a healthier lifestyle for themselves and their children. This will target families who are living in areas of deprivation and who are in need of help to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Helping disabled youngsters to take part in physical activity every day and so promote health.

Creating a yearly sports programme and encourage participation.  

Councillor Bambos Charalambous, cabinet member for Culture, Leisure, Youth and Localism, said: "Enfield Council has undertaken a number of initiatives to tackle the issue of childhood obesity. We work with schools to ensure that all their meals are healthy and delicious to encourage their uptake. The council also supports our leisure partners Fusion in offering free sports, gym and swimming sessions for under 16 in our leisure centres throughout the school holidays."

The first programme is set to begin this month.

Posted by Andy Britten

 

Published 6th June, 2013

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