Hundreds of activity packs donated to isolated children

The Active Partnership for Northumberland, Tyne and Wear has funded 400 sets of equipment for vulnerable children in each local authority area they cover.

In each area, the packs are designed to incentivise and encourage the most vulnerable and isolated children and young people to keep active and healthy during this period of isolation.

In Newcastle, the free equipment has been prepared at Newcastle Eagles’ Community Arena, and identified for different children by staff at Newcastle City Council.

Cllr Veronica Dunn, Newcastle City Council cabinet member for Education and Skills, said: “This will be a huge benefit to so many of our children at this difficult time and I’d like to thank everybody involved in this process.

“For lots of children in our city, this lockdown will be incredibly difficult on both their physical and mental wellbeing and sport and physical activity is so important for helping them to keep occupied and look after themselves.

“The impact of the lockdown is really hitting us all hard, but the efforts being made to help each other in ways such as this have been truly heart-warming and if we continue like this I have no doubt we will come through this crisis together.”

Lee Sprudd, strategic director for the Active Partnership said, “With more families restricted to their homes, it is easy for activity levels to fall, and for stress levels to increase.

“We know that keeping active is a benefit to not only our physical health, but also our mental well-being.

“We hope therefore that these packs will give children who are most in need of support with the means to have fun, stay active and cope during the lockdown.

“Our thanks also go to the Eagles Community Foundation for providing access to their arena to allow the packs to be put together whilst observing social distancing guidelines, and also to Newcastle City Council for distributing these to families they know are most in need.”