Rangers Players school visit for ‘Joy of Moving’ project

Rangers Players school visit for ‘Joy of Moving’ project

Rangers FC first team players, Glenn Middleton and Serge Atakayi, helped to inspire kids from Milngavie Primary School towards a healthier future on a recent visit as part of the Rangers Charity Foundation’s ‘Joy of Moving’ project which is run in association with the SPFL Trust.

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

Glenn said: “It was great to visit Milngavie Primary School today, see what the children get up to on a daily basis and join in!

“I did whatever I wanted really when I was a young kid, but it’s good that they’re obviously getting the right information now on what to eat and when to eat it. They all seem really enthusiastic about it, so that’s a great sign.”

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

Milngavie Primary Teacher, Angela Cunningham, said: “The children have really been taking the lessons onboard and have very much enjoyed working with the coaches. They’re now much more competitive, working together as a team and doing the homework tasks they’ve been set.

“When the children see the players in their matches, they also can see the benefits of being healthy and I think having that role model means they can become more inspired. It’s been great seeing lots of smiling faces today!”

Rangers Charity Foundation’s Senior Community Executive, Jordan Boyd, added: “It was great to have Glenn and Serge down at the school to see the Joy of Moving programme in action.

“As young players who have worked hard and made it to the Rangers First Team, they’re great role models for the kids who can see 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 really 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.