Donation helps club purchase equipment

Lindsey Porter from Isos with John Robertson of Red Row Kickstart and some of the children who attend the club each week.

Isos Housing awarded Red Row Sports Kickstart £3,044.55 through its My Community Fund.

The club is focused on developing children’s fundamental movement skills (FMS) and helps raise their self-esteem, confidence and team-working skills.

Head coach John Robertson has now been able to invest in new gymnastics equipment for the club, including three benches, two springboards, two movement tables and some foam tunnels for obstacle courses.

The project has also benefited from funding through Northumberland Clubs for Young People, East Chevington Parish Council and a donation of funding secured by councillor Scott Dickinson.

Mr Robertson said: “The Isos investment is a lot of money for a club like this and we can buy some really excellent kit. We’re very grateful.

“We usually get between 10 and 20 kids turning up for the club, aged from four to 11. I’ve been teaching PE in schools for 20 years and there is a real problem with what we would call the demise of ‘background play’.

“That means children simply playing out on the streets, climbing trees, playing games etc. Unfortunately, it does not happen very often now. So at our club we teach FMS, which really help children to move on to other sports.”

Mr Robertson also recognised the important funding which the club has previously secured from the National Lottery, Sport England, the Schofield Trust and Northumbria Police.