2013 Press Releases
Sport adds life
UCC joined forces with the Ulster Sports Academy, DCU and NUI Galway recently to launch the ‘Sport for Life-All Island’ project, sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation.
The award winning venture encourages primary school children to participate in physical activity and will target over 200 schools and 4,000 children in low socio-economic areas across the four provinces of Ireland.
The project, which has received funding of $350,000 from The Coca-Cola Foundation, will be delivered by trained student volunteers from each university in partnership with primary school teachers.
Dr Fiona Chambers, Director of Sports Studies and Physical Education in UCC said: “We are delighted that we are in a position to work with other leading universities to deliver this best practice programme for the benefit of children in Cork."
University of Ulster Provost, Professor Alistair Adair, said: “Sport for LIFE All Island is a very positive development and an excellent example of practical, mutually beneficial cross border co-operation. Using physical activity and health as a unifying them we are delighted to unite with other leading Universities across the island to mobilise our richest resources, our students and staff, to contribute to the extension of sport and physical activity programmes to children across the island. We are deeply thankful to The Coca Cola Foundation for their generous support."
Professor Deirdre Brennan, Sport for LIFE All Island Project Leader, said: “The Sport for LIFE project was successful in significantly increasing vigorous, moderate and light physical activity levels among children living in areas of disadvantage across Northern Ireland. It was also successful in reducing sedentary behaviour of the children."
Dr Gavin Breslin, Sport for LIFE Research leader, said: “It makes sense given the similarity of issues related to health and physical activity to co-operate and where practical to share resources for the benefit of the entire island. This 'All Island' programme can facilitate mutual understanding, skill migration and capacity building in the context of physical activity and health pedagogies."
Sport for LIFE is recognised by the World Health Organisation as best practice in promoting physical activity to marginalised groups and by the Schools for Health in Europe (SHE) for promoting physical activity as part of the European Food Framework. Sport for LIFE and the Sport for LIFE ‘Teaching Training’ Legacy projects were also awarded London 2012 Inspire Awards.