We're well into 2008 now. The team has been going great on the ice and so has our Adopt a School Initiative in association with Michelin Tyres, Ballymena. It seems no time at all since we launched our Healthy Lifestyle programme in early October and now the players have been out to spread the word to over fifty Primary Schools.

The players have been visiting 3 schools a week, working very hard bringing the message about eating properly and taking plenty of exercise to over six thousand children so far.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons the lads are out, travelling round, talking to children about what it's like to be a Belfast Giant and how they, as players have to lead healthy lifestyles to enable them to continue playing ice hockey at the Elite League level.

The players use their influence as professional sportsmen to convince the children that we all need to try to make our lifestyle more healthy, through getting the correct balance of foods and having a good exercise regime.

It is quite remarkable to watch the look of awe on the children's faces when a player is introduced to them. Anything a Giant says is sure to be listened to and much more likely to be acted on simply because one of the Belfast Giants is saying it!

There's always time for questions at the end of the chat and these are certainly varied! They can range from "What do you have for breakfast?" through "How much do you get paid?" to the ever popular "Do you ever get into any fights?" You can never really tell what's coming next!

Of course there's a presentation of the "Adopt a School" certificate to the sponsoring business and an "Adopt a School" certificate also goes to the school along with those free tickets for which the children have been so eagerly waiting.

The fact that some of the children at the schools we are visiting are getting these tickets is completely down to the generosity of the businesses who are "Adopting" them.

Thank you to all the businesses for your kindness to the schools in providing tickets and thank you also for giving the players the opportunity to carry the Healthy Lifestyle message to all these children.

Also an enormous thank you to Michelin Tyres Ballymena for all the support we have received from them.

And what about the players? It isn't easy to get up in front of what can be in excess of two hundred children and talk to them for 30 minutes, but they are doing an excellent job and the kids really respond to them. Any time someone can keep the attention of 200 primary school kids for an hour has to be impressive.

You're doing a great job lads. Keep up the excellent work. What you are doing can have an amazing influence on those young people to whom you are speaking.

Finally, a word about the schools. You're great! No matter where the players go the schools are delighted to see them. If we had drunk all the tea and coffee we've been offered we'd probably have floated half way to Scotland by now!

Thanks too for all your kind comments on the relevance of the material to the work you are doing.

I know lots of the children who have already received tickets through "Adopt a School" have attended games. The Giants hope you had a great time. Many more will be attending a game, either individually or as part of a school group, between now and the end of the season. Have a great night folks and remember to shout loudly for the players that came and spoke to you and to all of the Belfast Giants.

School visits continue until almost the end of the season so if you are a business interested in becoming involved in "Adopt a School" please give the office a ring and we'll be delighted to have you on board.

Below are the Adopted Schools and the local business that has been so kind as to Adopt each primary school