The Lidl Northern Ireland Sport for Good Schools Programme is a mental health athlete mentorship programme with a dedicated focus on boosting young people’s social skills, self-esteem and body confidence through sports participation. The programme aims to address the needs of some 45% of young people here who said their mental health had deteriorated since the pandemic began.

More than 5,200 secondary school pupils from across 25 schools located in every county participated in the 2021/22 programme with feedback survey results revealing that 83% of participants felt Lidl Northern Ireland’s programme boosted their overall confidence.

Additional programme benefits included improved resilience and enjoyment of exercise as well as increased confidence to participate in future sport. All teachers participating in the programme also confirmed their commitment to making improvements to their school’s mental health curriculum as a result of the programme.

The Sport for Good Schools Programme is championed by six-time Paralympic gold medallist swimmer Bethany Firth OBE, 2022 Commonwealth Games and European Championship 1,500 metre silver medalist, Ciara Mageean, and Olympic gymnast, Rhys McClenaghan.

The programme sees a series of mental health workshops delivered by a squad of specially trained NI sports stars, including Michael McKillop MBE and Shirley McCay MBE, who are appointed as the programme’s athlete mentors by the Youth Sport Trust. The 2022/23 programme was officially launched today at a special event in Belfast.

Speaking at the launch of the 2022-23 programme, Lidl Northern Ireland Sport for Good ambassador, Ciara Mageean said: “As a middle-distance runner competing at the highest level of international sport, I know how important it is to have a strong mindset and belief in myself to achieve my goals. It’s something I focus and work on every day.

“I’m proud to be an ambassador for Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport for Good Schools Programme which is dedicated to supporting young people and improving mental health outcomes, particularly after the challenging times of the last few years.

“I’m delighted to see the results of last year’s programme and to know that it really is having an impact on our young people and improving their mental health. Knowing that 80% of the students who were involved in the workshops have seen an improvement in their confidence demonstrates the true power of sport, and I’m proud to have been able to play my part in that.

“I’m excited to launch the 2022-23 programme and to share with even more students across Northern Ireland the tools that sport participation can provide in improving overall wellbeing, building resilience, and managing mental health challenges, and to hopefully find the next generation of sporting stars.”

The 2022/23 Lidl Northern Ireland Sport for Good Schools Programme consists of a series of workshops designed to help young people explore the positive effect sport can have on their mental health now and into the future.

Jenny Rouse, Commercial and Fundraising Director at Youth Sport Trust said: “We’re really thrilled to continue our partnership with Lidl Northern Ireland and launch our Mental Health Athlete Mentorship programme for a second year. The results of our programme survey have been fantastic and it’s so inspiring to see how this has had a positive impact on the lives of so many young people in Northern Ireland.

“Designing and delivering initiatives like these, through our new Inspiring Changemakers, Building Belonging strategy, we are committed to supporting those most in need of the transformative power of sport and play.

“Young people are growing up in a world where digital technology is having an increasing impact on their lives and more children feel lonely and disconnected. It is vital we recognise how sport and physical activity can help them to feel a sense of belonging and manage their wellbeing.”

Since 2019, the Sport for Good programme has supported more than 120 sports clubs and schools across Northern Ireland and provided more than £320,000 in funding and equipment to encourage more children to connect with sport.

The Sport for Good Schools Programme is part of Lidl Northern Ireland’s longstanding ‘Community Works’ initiative which supports communities across Northern Ireland. First launched in 2014, the Community Works programme has engaged more than 750 community groups to date and raised more than £420,000 for charity partner NSPCC Northern Ireland.

Joe Mooney, Senior Partnerships Manager for Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “As part of our established Community Works initiative, the Sport for Good Schools Programme is designed to tackle the mental health challenges faced by our young people head on and we’re delighted to see the positive feedback in the programme evaluation which shows just how transformative the programme has been in its first year.

“It is an honour to welcome back our programme ambassadors, Ciara, Bethany and Rhys who are wonderful role models for young people in Northern Ireland both through their sporting success and by sharing their own personal experiences of mental health issues and how they have used sport as an outlet to manage these challenges.

“We’re committed to building on the work we have done so far to ensure more school students are motivated to harness the physical and mental health benefits of sport, and look forward to working with our ambassadors and with the Youth Sport Trust as we actively reach into local communities to support young people across the region in a practical and meaningful way.”

Lidl Northern Ireland shoppers can nominate their local secondary school to win a place on the Sport for Good programme, as well as £1,000 worth of brand-new sports equipment, by visiting their local Lidl store and making a purchase to receive a qualifying Lidl receipt containing a 10-digit code.

Receipt codes must be submitted online along with the secondary school nomination for a chance to win. Entries can be made via the dedicated Sport for Good online entry form at lidl-ni.co.uk/lidl-community-works. The competition is open until Sunday, October 16^th.

For more information, please visit www.lidl-ni.co.uk/lidl-community-works.

Caption: Joe Mooney Senior Partnerships Manager for Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, Ciara Mageean, Rhys McClenaghan and Bethany Firth OBE.

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With 45 per cent of young people in Northern Ireland saying their mental health has worsened since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Lidl Northern Ireland Sport for Good Schools Programme is focused on teaching students about the long-term physical and mental health benefits of sports participation.

Delivered in partnership with Youth Sport Trust, the UK’s leading sports charity supporting young people’s education and development through sport, the Sport for Good Schools Programme is set to reach thousands of secondary school pupils right across the region over the coming years.

Specially trained athlete mentors will run workshops and take sessions with the students that will help increase their confidence and resilience while also providing them with tools to help manage their own mental health into adulthood.

A stellar line up of eight leading local athletes will deliver the schools programme, including four-time Paralympic athletics champion Michael McKillop and Olympian steeplechase gold medallist Kerry O’Flaherty, Olympian hockey heroes Shirley McCay and Eugene Magee, Northern Ireland netball international and an Armagh ladies’ Gaelic footballer Caroline O’Hanlon, female rugby union champion and Olympian Ashleigh Baxter, Ulster Rugby midfielder and Jiu Jitsu champion Stacey Sloan and Commonwealth Shooting Champion Kirsty Hegarty.

Representing a strong cross section of sport and boasting an impressive array of achievements, the athletes are at the top of their game and will bring a wealth of experience to the classroom.

This week, the retailer announced 25 winning schools – hailing from every county across the region – who were selected for the programme following a call out for competition entries in October last year and were nominated by local shoppers.

Established in 2019, Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport for Good programme has supported more than 80 sports clubs and schools across Northern Ireland and provided more than £220,000 in funding to encourage more young people into sport.

Gordon Cruikshanks, Head of Sales Operations for Lidl Northern Ireland, said: “The pandemic has undoubtedly had a significant impact on the mental health of our young people and this year we aim to tackle mental health head on through Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport for Good initiative.

“As a retailer committed to supporting local communities, we’re thrilled to partner with Youth Sport Trust to deliver a bespoke programme designed specifically for secondary school pupils to provide practical advice and techniques to improve mental health through sport. I’d like to thank all of our fantastic shoppers who nominated their local school to win a coveted place on the programme and congratulate those selected. We’re looking forward to this initiative rolling out over the coming months.”

The programme is supported by three local sporting heroes and long-standing Sport for Good Ambassadors – six-time Paralympic gold medallist swimmer Bethany Firth OBE, Olympic gymnast Rhys McClenaghan and Olympic runner Ciara Mageean.

Commenting on the announcement of the winning schools, Sport for Good Ambassador and Paralympic champion Bethany Firth OBE said: “As a Paralympian, I’m faced with challenges every day and I know only too well how important it is to have a strong, healthy mindset. Thanks to my incredibly supportive coach, family and team, I’ve been driven to achieve my best Olympic performance yet and also receive an OBE for my services to sport in the last six months – something I once could only dream of.

“With many young people saying their mental health has been impacted by the pandemic, the Lidl Northern Ireland Mental Health Mentorship schools programme couldn’t come at a better time and I’m honoured to help deliver this important initiative to schools across Northern Ireland. I’m very proud to support Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport for Good campaign for the third year running and I hope that I can help inspire young people who may be struggling with their mental health to embrace the benefits of sport and the role it can play in improving mental wellbeing and in building resilience and confidence.”

The Sport for Good programme is the latest initiative by Lidl Northern Ireland to support communities across Northern Ireland and forms part of the retailer’s longstanding ‘Community Works’ programme. First launched in 2014, the Community Works programme has engaged more than 750 local community groups to date and raised more than £600,000 for charity partner NSPCC Northern Ireland.

For more information, please visit lidl-ni.co.uk/lidl-community-works

Caption:  Sport for Good Ambassador and Paralympic champion Bethany Firth OBE, Sport for Good Ambassador and Olympic gymnast Rhys McClenaghan and Gordon Cruikshanks, Head of Sales Operations for Lidl Northern Ireland.

Complete list of winning schools:

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Established in 2019, the Sport for Good scheme, in partnership with children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust, aims to encourage and support young people to make the most of the physical and mental benefits of sport participation.

Over the last two years, Sport for Good has supported more than 80 sports clubs and schools across Northern Ireland and provided more than £220,000 in funding to encourage more young people into sport.

With 45 per cent of young people in Northern Ireland saying their mental health has worsened since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic*, this year’s Sport for Good campaign is focused on boosting young people’s social skills, self-esteem and body confidence through sports participation and supporting young people across the region with the roll out of a dedicated Mental Health Athlete Mentorship Programme.

Lidl Northern Ireland shoppers can nominate their local secondary school to win a place on the Mental Health Athlete Mentorship Programme by visiting their local Lidl store and making a purchase to receive a qualifying Lidl receipt containing a 10-digit code. Receipt codes must be submitted online along with the secondary school nomination for a chance to be in with winning. Entries can be made via the dedicated Sport for Good online entry form at lidl-ni.co.uk/lidl-community-works. The competition is open now until Sunday 28^th November.

Ambassador

Speaking at the launch of the 2021 Sport for Good campaign, programme ambassador Bethany Firth MBE said: “Sports participation is one of the best ways to improve physical and mental health and I’m honoured to be a Lidl Northern Ireland Sport for Good Ambassador for a third year running. Since the launch of this initiative I’ve seen how the programme has transformed the lives of many young people and the positive feedback received has been phenomenal.

“Having just competed at the Tokyo Olympics, and as a Paralympian, I know only too well how important it is to have a strong, healthy mindset which really helped drive me to winning two gold and two silver medals this year.

“I also realise how lucky I am to be surrounded by an excellent support system of teachers, coaches, family and friends who spur me on to reach my sporting goals. Not all young people have that same access or have the skills to be able to manage their mental health and that’s why this year’s Sport for Good campaign is more important than ever.

“I’m really proud to launch this initiative and partner with Lidl Northern Ireland who are actively reaching into the heart of communities, investing in young people and helping improve their health and wellbeing through sport.”

Mentorship

Representing an investment of over £100,000 this year’s programme gives 25 secondary schools across the region the opportunity to win a spot on Lidl Northern Ireland’s dedicated Mental Health Athlete Mentorship Programme plus £1,000 worth of sports equipment for their school.

Facilitated by a trained and qualified Mental Health Ambassador appointed by Youth Sport Trust, the UK’s leading sports charity supporting young people’s education and development through sport, the programme will take place over two sessions designed to help young people explore the positive effect of sports participation on their mental health, helping to drive the next generation of sporting legends and encourage more young people to reap the benefits of participating in sports.

Gordon Cruickshanks, Head of Sales Operations, for Lidl Northern Ireland said: “At Lidl Northern Ireland, we’re committed to supporting our local communities through our established Community Works initiative and Sport for Good is our flagship programme to reach and support young people across the region.

“The pandemic has undoubtedly had a significant impact on the mental health of our young people and this year we aim to tackle mental health head on. We’re delighted to partner with Youth Sport Trust for the first time to deliver a bespoke Mental Health Athlete Programme, designed specifically for secondary school pupils to provide practical advice and techniques to improve mental health through sport.

“We’re thrilled to welcome back three of our sporting heroes, Bethany, Rhys and Ciara, who have all had great success over the past year. They are an inspiration, and we have no doubt that they will motivate more young people into sport and encourage those already engaged in sport to achieve their sporting goals.”

Jenny Rouse, Head of Business Development & Fundraising, Youth Sport Trust said: “Empowering young people through sport is the lifeblood of our charity and we are delighted to partner with Lidl Northern Ireland on the Sport for Good 2021 programme. Sport gives young people a platform to have their voices heard and a sense of belonging, and it is our mission to harness this power to help them build a brighter future.”

Caption: Head of Sales Operations at Lidl Northern Ireland, Gordon Cruikshanks with Sport for Good Ambassadors, Olympic gymnast, Rhys McClenaghan and Paralympic swimmer, Bethany Firth.

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