Press Release

Sport NI & DCC Hosts Schools Yoga Conference

Monday, 02 June 2008

Sport NI is hosting a conference on the Fit Futures Yoga Schools Project in the City Hotel this Friday, 5th June 2008.

The conference will reveal the findings of a study carried out by independent consultants who where given the task of examining the physiological and psychological benefits derived from this innovative and ground breaking locally based yoga schools programme.

The Fit Futures Project is funded through Sport NI and Derry City Council. The remit of the project is to work with young people under 15 to tackle sedentary lifestyles and obesity from the Outer North NRA. The Fit Futures Yoga Programme has been running in 7 primary schools in the Outer North Neighbourhood Renewal Area of Derry. The programme started as a pilot programme in 2006 and focused on primary seven school children who were completing their eleven plus.

This work seeks to address the urgent public health issue of Childhood Obesity more specifically prevention of childhood obesity in a fun and effective way has potential not only to improve energy balance of children but to increase fitness, self esteem and the most recent worrying trend of rising concerns of young people suffering from mental health problems.

The project has been endorsed by the Council and will be officially opened by the new Mayor elect on Friday.

Teresa Bradley is the sports development officer with Derry City Council and she believes the unique appeal of yoga is that it enables accessibility to physical activity, and it has an inclusive approach to dealing with the physical & mental well being of young people. “The primary school setting is an ideal place to implement programmes aimed at influencing health behaviours in early childhood and thereby modulates outcomes in later life. The Fit Futures programme is a new and innovative school based programme developed by Derry City Council Fit Futures Project in the Outer North NRA, targeted at P7 school children doing the Eleven-plus.”

The conference will present the findings from research carried out by FKB consultants on the schools yoga programme, views of the principals involved and an update by Dr Brian Delaney on Physical Literacy (Stranmillis University College).

Ends

Photo opportunity:

There will be a photocall on Friday, 06 June at 10.00 am at the City Hotel.

For additional information contact:

Press Office

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