Leeds school children are learning about how they can keep their hearts healthy, thanks to a partnership between Leeds Rhinos Foundation and Yorkshire-based national charity, Heart Research UK.
Throughout the last school year, staff from the Leeds Rhinos Foundation have been running the ‘Heart of Gold’ project with primary school children in year five. The project involves the children completing a six-week programme which covers three weekly sessions of multi-skill physical activities, themed around street games and two weekly healthy heart education workshops.
As part of the project the children all receive a special Leeds Rhinos edition of collectable card game Top Trumps, featuring Rhinos legends as well as a positive healthy heart messages, to ensure the children can continue learning in a fun and engaging way once they have completed their project.
Speaking about the ‘Heart of Gold’ project, Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s project officer, Adam Lunn, who delivers the sessions said: “It is so important that we teach children from an early age about what they can do to keep their heart healthy and this has been a great project to be involved in. Heart Research UK have helped us put together the work books and the whole project has been designed to be interactive and fun. We’ve had a really good response from the children.”
The 'Heart of Gold' project targets 30 disadvantaged children from each of the 36 participating schools in areas of deprivation within Leeds. Out of the 92 areas that fall in to the top 10% most deprived nationally, there are approximately 44% of children growing up living in poverty.
If you would like more information on the Heart of Gold project contact gareth.cook@leedsrhinosfoundation.org