Vulnerable children across Norfolk learn about the benefits of health and fitness
30th June 2010
[Sportspark Press Release]
SEAL and Norfolk Children’s Services have launched a pilot scheme to encourage healthy, sustainable lifestyles among marginalised young people at Sportspark event
Vulnerable children from across Norwich, Yarmouth and Dereham attended an event at Sportspark on Friday 2 July to learn more about the importance of physical fitness and following a sustainable diet. The event is part of the national Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) initiative, with Sportspark the launch venue for a pilot programme designed to encourage healthy and sustainable lifestyles.
IFR's Dr Tristan Bunn led a series of sessions where the pupils learned about their sense of taste and flavour through a multisensory exposure to food, drinks and smells. Pupils investigated how colour and smell affect the flavour of foods, before learning through testing their senses of taste. They learned about the role of the Trigeminal nerve in their sensory experiences of hot and cooling foods. The genetics of taste were investigated with tasters and supertasters discussing the possible effects on their propensity to eat healthily. Finally pupils were able to see their taste buds up close through a flexicam projection up onto a large screen
Norfolk Children’s Services organised the event for children aged 11 to 13 from Pupil Referral Units (PRU) at Brooklands Centre in Great Yarmouth, Central PRU in Norwich and Fred Nicholson School for pupils with moderate learning difficulties in Dereham. The event was co-funded by SEAL and CUE-East, an education ‘beacon’ leading the effort to help universities improve quality of life, support social and economic regeneration and inculcate civic values. One of the main aims of the SEAL scheme is to give children a sense of value in the community.
The Sportspark visit gathered together 16 children, some of whom have been excluded from school or have learning difficulties. Activities included archery and rock climbing, as well as food and taste experiments with Dr Tristan Bunn from Norwich’s Institute of Food Research. There was also a talk on climate change issues, and how these relate to the students, at the Low Carbon Innovation Centre. Trained peer mentors aged 14 to 15 from Framingham High School attended the event to support and work with the children.
Maria Rowe, assistant director at Sportspark, comments: “We are delighted to welcome the children to Sportspark and have lined up some inspiring activities for them to enjoy and learn from. The SEAL scheme is hugely valuable in helping vulnerable children reach their potential and explore the possibilities and opportunities available to them.”
SEAL and Norfolk Children’s Services hope to make this an annual Sportspark event following a successful launch, which will include students from all the Norfolk PRUs and special schools in future.
For more information about Sportspark, membership or events, please contact Sportspark reception on 01603 592 398.
-ENDS-
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