Sherburn kids get fit with free sports sessions from dodge ball to table tennis

By Lindsay Pantry
Published 25th Mar 2019, 12:29 BST
Updated 25th Mar 2019, 12:38 BST
Professional sports coaches will offer free youth activity sessions two evenings a week in Sherburn in Elmet after funding was secured from the Parish Council. From left: Caroline Gilley (Primary Influence), Andy Townend (Primary Influence), Sarah Kay (Old Girls School Community Centre), and Graham Hanson (Primary Influence).Professional sports coaches will offer free youth activity sessions two evenings a week in Sherburn in Elmet after funding was secured from the Parish Council. From left: Caroline Gilley (Primary Influence), Andy Townend (Primary Influence), Sarah Kay (Old Girls School Community Centre), and Graham Hanson (Primary Influence).
Professional sports coaches will offer free youth activity sessions two evenings a week in Sherburn in Elmet after funding was secured from the Parish Council. From left: Caroline Gilley (Primary Influence), Andy Townend (Primary Influence), Sarah Kay (Old Girls School Community Centre), and Graham Hanson (Primary Influence).
Professional sports coaches will offer free youth activity sessions two evenings a week in Sherburn in Elmet after funding was secured from the Parish Council.

The OGS project, named after the Old Girls’ School community centre where the sessions will take place, aims to boost sport and leisure facilities for young people in the village by providing sessions in dodge ball, tennis, circuit training and other sports.

Starting from Monday, April 1, up to 20 children aged between 11 and 16 will be able to take part in the Monday night sessions, while youngsters aged from six to 10 have dedicated sessions on Thursday evenings.

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Initially they will be available only to pupils attending Sherburn’s Athelstan and Hungate primary schools and Sherburn High School, and will be ran by sports coaching company Primary Influence UK.

Parish Council chairman Coun Paul Doherty said: “For some time we have wanted to improve sport, fitness and leisure activities for children and young people in the village and believe this project will be a good use of some of the public funds allocated to Sherburn.

“We were pleased to find the professional coaching and leadership skills

we needed within the village and believe our partnership with Primary Influence UK will prove highly successful in encouraging children and young people to get involved in sport and creative activities.”

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Caroline Gilley, the company’s Education Operations Manager, added: “There has been a real need for more affordable activity to be available in Sherburn for a while now and we are delighted to be the ones to provide it.”