E.ON Next partners with Judy Murray to inspire Scottish students at the latest ‘Kids in Sport’ event

The event is the latest in a series that has toured the UK over the last three years. The programme engages children through a range of popular sports, including football, motorsport, netball and tennis, and introduces careers that are less typically associated with sport, such as roles within the medical and energy sectors.

54 pupils from the St Patrick’s Primary School’s P5 year group (9-10-year-olds) took part in today’s event, with highlights including:

• a media-presenting workshop led by home-Glaswegian sports presenter Rita Simoes-Muir, where literacy and public-speaking skills were practised
• a ‘Mini First Aid’ activity prepared children to deal with everything from minor injuries to life-threatening scenarios where CPR may be required
• a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) role showcase by Enovation Consulting, where children learned about the vital and increasingly popular STEM roles in sport and highlighted the importance of sustainability through a hands-on SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) panel game
• a SPHERO ball coding session with several football-themed mini-games
• a one-hour active workshop to develop the core skills of coordination, dynamic movement and stamina which was led by Judy Murray and her coaching team at Miss-Hits, an organisation that strives to increase the uptake of tennis among young girls.

Local MP Martin McClusky awarded prizes to children who demonstrated outstanding enthusiasm throughout the day, with each child receiving an E.ON Next sports kit that included a sports bag, water bottle, sun cap and notebook.

Judy Murray, Professional Tennis Coach and Founder of Miss-Hits, said: “Myself and the school were delighted to hear that E.ON Next had chosen St Patrick’s Primary for their Kids in Sport programme. There’s a lot of children at the school who don’t get the opportunity to take part in sport outside the school curriculum so having brands like E.ON Next create these kinds of initiatives is very important.”

Martin McClusky, MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire, said: “It was a real pleasure to join pupils from my own primary school - St Patrick’s Primary School - for the Kids in Sport event. Initiatives like this play an important role in showing young people the many opportunities that sport can offer. Seeing pupils engaged in activities that build confidence, teamwork and practical skills was inspiring.

 “I want to thank everyone involved for bringing such a positive experience to our local community.”

Scott Somerville, Director of External Affairs at E.ON UK, said: “We’re pleased to bring our Kids in Sport event series to Inverclyde and to partner with St Patrick’s Primary School to give pupils a genuinely memorable experience. As a Scot, I’m proud of the talent this country continues to produce and we’re proud to play a small part in inspiring the next generation to get active, build confidence and aim high. Huge thanks to Judy Murray, our workshop leaders and Martin McCluskey for backing the day and helping make it truly awesome.”

Judy Murray recently joined a panel of high-profile speakers, including football’s Eni Aluko and media personality Em Clarkson, to launch E.ON UK’s inaugural Women in Sport Survey which is gathering data to help support equality in sport.