NI Schools Take GIANT Steps Towards a Healthy Lifestyle

Running since 2005, the Belfast Giants Healthy Lifestyle Programme is designed to encourage young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Led by Belfast Giants assistant coach, Jeff Mason, the programme promotes the importance of looking after both mental and physical well-being through maintaining a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and limiting stress to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Open to schools in the Greater Belfast area, over 20 schools have already signed up for the programme including Brooklands Primary School, Dundonald, St. Joseph’s Primary School, Dundonald, and Lisnasharragh Primary School, Castlereagh. It is hoped the programme will be delivered to at least 1800 local schoolchildren and will run until the end of this academic year in June.

Launching the programme for 2022, Jeff Mason, assistant coach for the Belfast Giants said: “Through this programme, we aim to share our personal stories and knowledge to inspire our young people to understand the impact that getting moving with exercise, and fuelling our bodies with a healthy balanced diet, can have on our overall mental health and physical wellbeing.

“As a team, we care about the communities around us, and acknowledge the importance of using our experience and reputation to inspire the younger generations to take steps towards a better future.

“We’re pleased to have Belfast Harbour on board as our official community outreach partner and look forward to working together to help inspire our young people to make healthier choices.”

Speaking of the partnership, Allison Dowling, communications and marketing director at Belfast Harbour said: “As the official community outreach partner for the team we are looking forward to supporting the Belfast Giants in making a positive impact in our local communities.

“Through our support of the Belfast Giants Healthy Lifestyle Schools’ Programme, we are proud to contribute to inspiring our younger generations to make healthier decisions that will have a positive impact on their mental and physical wellbeing.”

There’s still time for schools to register for the Belfast Giants Healthy Lifestyle Schools’ programme. The programme is open to all primary schools within the Greater Belfast area. For further information or to sign up, schools should contact Laura Small, relationship and business development manager, The Odyssey Trust by emailing – laura@belfastgiants.com.