From small steps to Little Kicks
Alloa Advertiser, Thurs 14th May 2009


Little Kicks has scored with parents and kids since it opened in Stirling and this week it comes to Clackmannanshire.

From tomorrow (Friday) the pre-school activity classes will be available in Tullibody.

Originally established in England in 2002, in response to the alarming growth in childhood obesity, the company has expanded throughout the UK and abroad.

Local dad, Andrew Henderson, set up the Little Kicks franchise in the Stirling and Falkirk area.

Having two children of his own, Andrew found that although there were pre-school activities for children to attend, there was nothing that measured up to the innovative structure and concepts of the Little Kicks classes.

Andrew not only saw the immense success of the programme, but he also agreed with the health-conscious founders that there was a need to do something to respond to the epidemic proportions childhood obesity has reached in the UK.

He said, “Studies have shown that children who adopt healthy eating and physical activity patterns are substantially less likely to become overweight adults: it is much easier to prevent children from becoming overweight than to correct the problem at a later date.”

The Health Education Authority recommends that children should try to participate in moderate activity for one hour a day.

Little Kicks runs the UK’s most popular pre-school football and activity programme, which is attended by over 10,000 children per week. Little Kicks classes help both boys and girls discover the rewards of regular structured exercise, laying the foundations for fit and healthy lives.

Developed and regularly enhanced by FA qualified coaches and nursery school teachers, with ongoing input from child health specialists, Little Kicks introduces real football skills through exciting group play activities.

The classes also enable the children to develop agility, co-ordination and balance with early learning concepts such as colours and numbers gently introduced through play at a very young age.

Recently Little Kicks made the shortlist of the HSBC-Award for Enterprise in the (British Franchise Association) Franchisor of the Year Awards 2009.

Local classes take place at Cambusbarron community centre (Sunday), Dunblane centre (Tuesday), Bridge of Allan Parish Church (Thursday) and St Serfs Church Hall in Tullibody (Friday).

 

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