SKY Sports News presenter Kirsty Gallacher has joined forces with athletes and students to celebrate the impact of Sky Sports Living for Sport - an initiative delivered in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, which uses sports stars and sports skills to improve the lives of young people in secondary schools across the North West.
A video is currently running across Sky Sports channels featuring Gallacher, students from across the country and Athlete Mentors from the initiative including former BMX world champion Mike Mullen, former British and Commonwealth judo champion Tom Davis, World champion inline skater Jenna Downing and England women’s rugby union star Katy Storie.
The video showcases the difference that Sky Sports Living for Sport is making in helping teachers encourage pupils to try new sports.
The Sky Sports Living for Sport Awards 2011 were held at Wembley Stadium last night, bringing together outstanding students and teachers from across the UK to celebrate the achievements reached through the initiative, including that of Charlotte Dale, from Macclesfield Academy in Cheshire, who has been named Student of the Year 2011 for the North West.
Gallacher will join Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports, Baroness Sue Campbell CBE, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, and Darren Campbell MBE, Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter and ambassador for Sky Sports Living for Sport as a judge at the prestigious awards ceremony.
“Sky Sports Living for Sport is a fantastic initiative which has proved hugely successful in engaging secondary school students in sport and teaching them wider life skills,” commented Gallacher.
“The video showcases the impact the initiative has had on students by enabling athletes to share their skills and experience with future sporting generations.
“It’s an initiative that has been embraced by students, teachers and parents alike and I hope this video will further raise the profile of the initiative in schools across the UK and encourage more schools to register.”
Working towards measurable self-development goals, across areas such as health, behaviour and achievement, schools in the North West have utilised Sky Sports Living for Sport to create flexible activity projects, including a diverse range of sports from football to fencing.
As a result, pupils have been testing and developing a wide range of life-skills such as teamwork, communication, discipline and focus.
To watch the promotional video and find out more about Sky Sports Living for Sport, please visit {http://livingforsport.skysports.com|livingforsport.skysports.com}