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July 14, 2008
‘We’re getting fit and healthy but it’s great fun’
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This is what the children are saying that have the opportunity to participate in the Bluearth programme. The Bluearth Institute and Alcoa joined together recently to launch a $70,000 partnership that will see ten schools in the Peel region benefit from the Bluearth Programme.
Bluearth gives every student the opportunity to explore their co-ordination, agility, speed, motor skills, stability, flexibility, cardiovascular adaptation and balance within a fun and supportive environment.
Pinjarra Refinery Manager, Armando Torres said that it is always good to see children enjoying themselves and in this case participating in activities that are able to contribute towards their healthy future.
“This is a three year partnership between Alcoa and Bluearth that will allow time for it to be fully integrated into the participating schools,” Armando Torres said. “Local teachers will be trained and accredited so that long after the funding has been utilised many more children in years to come will benefit. This is indeed a sustainable programme and one that Alcoa is very proud to be associated with”, concluded Mr Torres.
“Alcoa supports this Bluearth as part of our Safe and Healthy Children and Families partnership portfolio. It’s commitment to encouraging healthy behaviours so children can be fit for life, is very much aligned with our own efforts to encourage our employees to be fit for life and fit for work,” said Mr Torres.
The Bluearth approach has been in place in schools in WA for some years with the WA Government supporting its aims of giving children a lifelong love of physical activity. More than 30,000 children and 1100 teachers from the Kimberley to Ballarat are experiencing the program. Alcoa is the first corporate to become involved in the programme and the Bluearth management hope that by having Alcoa come forward in a partnership that it may encourage other major corporate businesses to assist in other areas of Australia.
Schools involved in the Peel region are:
- Dwellingup Primary School,
- Harvey Primary School and St Anne’s Catholic Primary School Harvey,
- North Dandalup Primary School,
- Carcoola Primary School,
- Pinjarra Primary School and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Pinjarra,
- Serpentine Primary School,
- Waroona District High School and
- St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Waroona.
The Bluearth Institute was founded by software entrepreneur Malcolm Freake, whose family trust has donated $12 million to implement the schools programme. The Freake family continues to invest more than $2million annually to underwrite the institute’s activities.
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