Council teams up to get teens active

7.16.04pm GMT Sun 11th Mar 2007

Get active! That's the message to teenage girls after Richmond Council teamed up with a private health club to launch a new fitness scheme, the first of its kind in the borough.

The 'Active Girls' project is a 40-week course for Year 10 and 11 pupils who aren't currently involved in any out-of-school sports. The girls must be referred to the scheme by their teachers and 48 have signed up so far, enjoying weekly exercise at the Amida Club in Hampton, including fitness sessions, tennis, golf, Pilates and dance. The free course is financed by the Big Lottery Fund and girls from Orleans Park, Waldegrave and Whitton Schools are taking part. It is the result of an innovative link-up between the Richmond School Sports Partnership and the Amida Club, and sees a private health club working directly with secondary schools in Richmond upon Thames for the first time.

Cllr John Coombs, Cabinet Member for Sport on Richmond Council, said:

"The health and fitness of young people is a great concern and improving access to sport and exercise is vital in the wake of worries over childhood obesity. Richmond upon Thames was named England's most active borough by Sport England and our Competitive Edge project has taken giant strides in encouraging more young people to take part in competitive sport. However, many youngsters, and in particular teenage girls, do not get sufficient exercise and could be jeopardising their future wellbeing. It is vital we put in place programmes that will give them access to the types of exercise they want to pursue. Many of those taking part in the Active Girls project could soon leave school and this is our last chance to influence their behaviour and encourage them to adopt a healthy routine that they will carry through to adult life. It is a tremendous initiative and I urge anyone interested in taking part to contact the School Sports Partnership."