Cumbria children can get their kicks for free (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Cumbria children can get their kicks for free

3:14pm Tuesday 25th August 2009 in

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FREE football classes are being offered to primary and nursery school pupils in Cumbria to help tackle childhood obesity.

Little Kickers, an organisation dedicated to getting kids active, is offering the free football taster sessions to help promote regular, structured exercise to two to seven-year-olds.

Scott Cormack, of Little Kickers Cumbria, said children who enjoyed sport at a young age were more likely to participate as they got older, thereby reducing the instance of both childhood and adult obesity.

“I’m hoping lots of nurseries and toddler groups who are passionate about sport will be interested because collectively I think we can really make a big difference,” he said.

“What sets Little Kickers apart is our overall objective to encourage more children to get physically active. Our classes are structured to provide a positive fun packed introduction to sport which will catch a child’s imagination, get their pulse racing and the sweat flowing.”

Unless eating and exercise habits in Cumbria change, in 2050, one in ten children in the county will be clinically obese by the time they start school.

According to the National Child Obesity Audit, 18 per cent of ten and 11-year-olds in Carlisle and South Lakeland and 21 per cent in Eden are already obese.

Little Kickers classes are held in Kendal, Windermere, Kirkby Lonsdale, Carnforth, Ulverston, and Penrith.

For more information contact 01539 898195 or visit the website below.