St. Mirren F.C. will utilise the award from the SFP Community Initiative to deliver a health and well-being programme targeted at primary school pupils in the local area of Ferguslie Park in Paisley. Through the power of football and in partnership with Renfrewshire Council, pupils selected from local primary schools will participate in fun and interactive football sessions at the Carbrini@JD Airdrome at St. Mirren Park and will then receive a healthy, hot meal inside the stadium. The “FooTEA” project will particularly target young children who are currently leading a life of poor diet and nutrition and have a lack of regular physical activity. The programme timetable will offer one structured afternoon session per week, over a 20 week period, where around 80 young children will attend St. Mirren Park to participate in football and fitness related activity, followed by a freshly prepared hot meal. During mealtime, positive lifestyle and health related messages will be conveyed and discussed with the children. On the final day of the programme, parents, guardians, carers and family members will be invited to attend the stadium to observe and participate in both the physical activity and dining components of the day thus bringing the family together and promoting a sense of unity, togetherness and structure to the young children’s experience. Ross Paterson, Football Development Officer at the club said “This project will allow St. Mirren F.C. the opportunity to further develop strong and lasting relationships within the wider community. “FooTEA” will also contribute to the many ongoing local, regional and national programmes and initiatives being delivered in communities throughout Scotland in a bid to tackle child obesity, ill-health and poor diet and lifestyles. Football will act as the vehicle to engage with these young children – they will learn, train, play and eat as a ‘team’ and hopefully the importance and ethos of working together to achieve desired goals will stay with them long after the programme has concluded.”
