Saddlers players Josh Gordon and Sam Hornby visited a local primary school to help encourage children to get active.
As part of Ferrero’s corporate social responsibility programme – Joy of moving – Walsall FC Foundation hosted a session at Hillary Primary School, designed to inspire children to enjoy moving through play.
Pupils at the school, which is located near the Poundland Bescot Stadium, took part in a series outdoor activities and games with the first-team players.
Gordon and Hornby also visited a handful of classes for a Q&A session with children.
As a Foundation and PFA Health Ambassador for 2024/25, Josh Gordon stressed the importance of children taking part in regular activity.
He said: “I think it’s important that us as players go in to the communities and speak to the kids and staff who work in these schools and get an understanding of what they do every day.
“The more physical activity children can do, with all sorts of sports, playground games and going out with their friends, the better. I think it’s very important.
“It’s not just helping develop skills to help them out later in life, I also think it’s key for the social and mental aspect too.
“A lot are Walsall fans as well so to be able to answer their questions and engage with them – it’s nice to give back.”
Since its launch in 2014, the unbranded Joy of moving programme has been delivered in partnership with the English Football League’s charitable arm, EFL in the Community and its network of Club Community Organisations, reaching over 600,000 children and delivering over three million hours of learning across hundreds of UK schools.
The programme is designed using a unique methodology, developed by Ferrero and its independent partners to nurture key life skills, including motor coordination, cognitive abilities, and social interaction. Walsall FC Foundation, who deliver the programme locally, have had a number of groups at Hillary Primary School involved in the six-week programme with over 150 children taking part this year.
Chris Springthorpe, Health Manager at Walsall FC Foundation added: “The focus of the programme is to get our children moving.
“It’s important that young people keep active as part of a balanced lifestyle, and it’s been great to see lots of Walsall schools taking advantage of the Joy of moving sessions.
“We always put the emphasis on fun. If the children are enjoying themselves they’re more likely to keep active for longer and that can only be a positive for their healthy growth and development.”
So far this academic year, the Foundation have already seen over 500 children as part of the Joy of moving project, across ten local primary schools.
Debbie Cook, EFL’s Director of Community, said: “It’s fantastic to see players engaging with the community and participating in programmes like Joy of moving. Through the delivery of Club Community Organisations, like Walsall FC Foundation, the programme has reached hundreds of thousands of children with activities that can help them feel more active and happier through the joy of play.”
Charlie Cayton, Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications at Ferrero UK, commented: “We are thrilled to bring our Joy of moving programme to Hillary Primary School and to celebrate its continued success in encouraging children to embrace movement through play.
“Seeing the smile on children’s faces as they take part reinforces how impactful the programme is. After over a decade of Joy of moving being delivered in the UK, we remain fully committed to inspiring children to get active, but most importantly, to have fun doing so.”
