Manchester Giants Visit Whitehaven

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Bright Tribe

On Tuesday 25th March, young people in Whitehaven are set to enjoy a visit from Manchester Giants, a professional basketball team based in Manchester and part of the British Basketball League.

As part of their work in the community, Manchester Giants runs the Giant Footsteps programme for schools in the north-west, and Bright Tribe Trust has partnered with the Giants to bring the programme to Bright Tribe academies, with The Whitehaven Academy being the first to benefit.

The programme is targeted at supporting the delivery of PE and school sport and helps promote school-to-club links and provide a pathway for children to progress through basketball and maybe one day become a Giant. It also looks at social impact issues for children such as a healthy plate, anti-bullying initiatives, Reduce-Reuse-Recycle, the importance of physical activity and how literacy and numeracy are used in sport.

The Whitehaven Academy has opened up the activities on offer during the Giants visit to local primary schools, and pupils from six primaries will visit the school to take part during the morning, with students of the academy training in the afternoon.

The day will culminate in a friendly match between the Giants and The Whitehaven Academy students after school, with students, staff and parents invited to watch.

Lynette Norris, Principal of The Whitehaven Academy said: “We are delighted that such top class sporting figures are paying a visit to The Whitehaven Academy. They will be both inspirational for our students and alert them to the opportunities open to them through sport and commitment”.

Manchester Giants Director, Graham Herstell, commented: “We are delighted to be able to visit The Whitehaven Academy and promote basketball in the area and help the students’ development. It is great to be able to take the Giants name to people outside Manchester and hopefully we will have a few new fans by the time we leave! We are looking forward to having a really positive relationship that will bring real benefits to the students’ sporting development.”