News

Zak Lovelace and Robbie Fraser helped to inspire pupils from St George’s Primary School towards a healthier future on a recent visit as part of the Rangers Charity Foundation’s ‘Joy of Moving’ project, in partnership with the SPFL Trust.

The Rangers B team stars took time out to play football with the pupils, answer questions about their budding careers and talk about the importance of fitness and diet, not just for athletes but for everyone.

Robbie Fraser said: “Today was really good. The pupils were full of energy, enthusiastic and were asking great questions as well. They kids were brilliant because you could see them smiling and being bubbly as soon as we came in the room which was really nice to see.

“We were in their shoes a long time ago and when you see someone that inspires you deliver an important message it can help get the key points across.”

Squad mate Zak Lovelace added: “It’s important to teach young people about a healthy diet because the earlier they start, the easier it becomes to maintain that routine when they get older. Coming out to visit the school was great and it was fantastic to be able to get involved and encourage the pupils to live a healthy lives.”

The ‘Joy of Moving’ programme works with pupils aged 9-10 years old in schools across Glasgow to encourage physical activity and to promote a healthy diet. Students have been learning about nutrition and taking part in football sessions with Rangers Charity Foundation community coaches for six weeks, so were able to impress the players with their knowledge and skills.

St George’s Primary Teacher, Mrs Crangle said: “Having the players in today has really inspired some of the pupils as well as encouraged others that maybe don’t enjoy physical activity as much to get involved.

“The Joy of Moving programme is really important, especially for this bunch of kids as a lot of them come from more deprived backgrounds, so just having that education on how to make healthier choices for themselves is great.

“I’ve noticed as well that a lot of the girls in the class have engaged well with the football sessions too. The boys as well, even though they’re maybe already into football, it’s helped them develop their teamwork skills.

“All the pupils in the class have looked forward to the Tuesday sessions and they’ve really engaged well with the programme.”

Rangers Charity Foundation Community Programmes Manager, Jordan Boyd, added: “It was fantastic to have Zak and Robbie along to St George’s Primary to see the Joy of Moving programme being delivered.

“They are both young players who have put in the hard work to make it as professionals so they’re great role models for the kids. It was great that Zak and Robbie were able to tell pupils about how important taking care of themselves has been for their careers.

“Joy of Moving is a six-week course we run through the school term, and it focuses on educating the students and helping them to build their knowledge and form positive habits that will stand them in good stead for their entire lives. We want to help create healthier communities for the future, and we believe projects like this really work in achieving that.”

1,800 children in the Glasgow area take part in the programme each year, encouraging future generations to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Thank you to the SPFL Trust and Ferrero for their support of Joy of Moving.

For more information about the Rangers Charity Foundation and its range of community and charitable work, visit: www.rangerscharity.org.uk.