United Leicester Celebration Event

On Tuesday 29 June, over 60 pupils from Hazel and Taylor Road Primary Schools visited the Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium to take part in a variety of sporting activities on the pitch, as part of the celebration event for the United Leicester Programme.

The unique project has used the collective strength and expertise of Leicester City in the Community, Leicester Tigers Foundation, Leicester Riders Foundation and Leicestershire County Cricket Club “ as well as being supported by Leicester Hockey “ by delivering a 30-week programme to the pupils. Players and coaches from each club have been on hand to encourage the children to be active and highlight the positive benefits of a healthy lifestyle. 

Initially set up in 2019, the final 5 weeks of the programme were cancelled due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, but the pupils were finally able to complete the remaining sessions before the summer holidays began.

Tuesday's celebration was a culmination of the whole programme and saw pupils have the opportunity to play on the grass of the famous Stadium, graced by so many famous rugby stars before them.  

The pupils took part in a carousel of activities including footgolf, basketball, football skills, hockey skills, catching a rugby ball from a machine, and trying to hit 6’s into the stands to show off their cricketing skills. Each pupil also had the opportunity to talk to the team from Academic and clinical partners about the impact the programme has had on them.  

Also present at the event was Leicestershire CCC’s mascot Charlie Fox, who was joined by his counterparts Filbert Fox from Leicester City, Welford from Leicester Tigers and Hotshot from Leicester Riders.

Stephen Franklin, Indoor School Manager at Leicestershire CCC and one of the delivery staff for the programme, said “It was fantastic to see the smiles on the faces of the pupils when they walked out of the tunnel into the stadium and they saw all of the activities that had been set up for them. It was the first time in 18 months they had been out of school for a trip or event so, as you can imagine, they were so excited to play all the different sports”.

Throughout the programme, participants have had PE classes delivered in their school by coaches from the different sports clubs and classroom lessons to learn all about leading a healthy lifestyle.

Funded by the Premier League Community and Professional Footballers Association Fund, United Leicester aims to improve children’s health and lifestyle using sport. 

Childhood physical inactivity and obesity are present in higher levels in the City of Leicester compared to other parts of the UK. United Leicester has brought together Leicester’s professional sports clubs, augmented by Leicester City Council and academic (University of Leicester) and clinical (Leicester Diabetes Centre at Leicester General Hospital) partners to develop, deliver and evaluate a school-based healthy lifestyle programme. 

It supports Leicester City Councils Active Leicester aim of getting 20,000 people more active and the long-term goal of Cities Changing Diabetes of reducing levels of urban type 2 diabetes.

To encourage the children to be as active as possible, they have each received a football, rugby ball, basketball, and a soft cricket ball to allow them to continue to play outside of school during the holidays.