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Your Council working with you to create a healthier environment
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Hitting the target
A sport and active recreation strategy will ensure more people can enjoy the benefits of active lifestyle
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Pickering High School archers (from bottom left to right) Sam Bliss, Sophia Young, Ruby Carter, Jamie Warcup, Daniel Pallister, Prisca Toko, Thomas Lenton and Steve Jones, head of the school's Hearing Impaired Unit |
When Daniel Pallister was introduced to archery by a visiting instructor during a sport development course at his school, he was instantly hooked.
In fact he enjoyed the experience so much that he wanted to find a way for his school to have its own archery team.
After speaking to his teachers, Daniel (13) was encouraged to apply for funding so that Pickering High School Sports College in west Hull could buy archery equipment for use by the school's hearing impaired unit, which Daniel attends.
The Year Nine pupil and his teachers also sought advice from Hull City Council before filling out an application form and applying for a grant from the government's Youth Opportunity Fund.
And the application worked – the school received £2,700 to pay for archery equipment and regular lessons from an archery instructor.
A sharp-shooting band of pupils are now learning the sport.
"It doesn't matter what ability or disability a child or young person may have – with coaching almost anyone who can shoot an arrow can hit the target," said Steve Jones, head of the school's hearing impaired unit.
"It teaches the importance of taking turns and being calm and patient, and it's also good for young people who may not be traditionally 'sporty' in terms of football, hockey or netball but can instead be competitive in archery."
Nomination
Daniel's work to develop sport for hearing impaired pupils has earned him a nomination for an award from the Federation of Disability Sports Organisations which is holding an awards dinner at the Elland Road conference and exhibition centre in Leeds on March 20.
His schoolmate Jamie Warcup (12) has also been nominated for an award after recently earning a rugby league scholarship with Hull Kingston Rovers.
Meanwhile, the archers at Pickering are hoping sport can build friendships when they visit College Jean Jaures in the small rural town of Saint Nicolas du Pelem in Brittany, France, in July.
Whilst there, they will give an archery demonstration to local children and young people, take part in a boules tournament, and practice speaking French with locals at a barbecue.
The five-night educational and sporting visit could result in an invitation for French pupils to make a return trip to Hull at a later date.
The cost of travelling and accommodation is an estimated £250 per pupil and anyone who would like to provide sponsorship can ring Steve Jones on 351901.
Sports strategy
After 18 months of research and consultation with representatives from sport, health, education, community and voluntary organisations, as well as local residents, Hull City Council has put together a sports and recreation strategy called Pride, Passion and Participation.
The strategy aims to give local people the best possible opportunities to be more active and improve their quality of life.
"Participating in sport and recreation can improve educational attainment and contribute to the development of stronger, safer communities," says Cllr Kalvin Neal who has responsibility for sport in the city.
There are six main aims which are to:
- raise the profile of sport and recreation to improve health, reduce crime, and strengthen community spirit
- find ways for children, young people and families to become more active and use sport to help raise their aspirations in life
- provide quality places for sport and recreation in the heart of the community
- make it possible for everyone to become more active and 'close the gap' on health inequalities across the city
- encourage people to build physical activity into their everyday routines such as through walking or cycling to work
- develop a 'sporting workforce' of sports coaches, administrators and officials who will create sustainable opportunities for sport and recreation throughout Hull
Get in shape
To become active and get in shape why not visit one of Hull City Council's leisure centres and fitness suites? New equipment has been installed at Kingston Fitness Suites at Costello Stadium, Ennerdale and Woodford leisure centres, to ensure local people can work out in comfort and style.
Furthermore, a specially-designed children's gym has recently opened at Woodford to help eight to 15-year-olds get fit and fight obesity.
Young people can use the gym fully supervised while their parents or carers have a work out in the main fitness suite. |
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