Posted:04-April-2008
Ex Great Britain athlete made a first business Leap to a more active lifestyle
Olympic Gold Medallist Sally Gunnell OBE met up again with fellow athlete Keri Lees (Maddock) to help launch a new and exciting venture for Keri.
Keri competed for Great Britain alongside Sally Gunnell OBE from the age of 15 -28 and finished her career in 2001. Keri is the first in the Staffordshire region to embark on the Leaps and Bounds programme for Nursery Schools. The 2-year progressive skills award programme developed by Tumble Tots (UK) Ltd is designed to complement the curriculum nurseries currently provide for their children.
Leaps and Bounds which was developed in consultation with Patricia Maude, MBE, lecturer of physical education with Homerton College, Cambridge University was introduced because of an increasing demand from Nurseries for a Tumble Tots type physical developmental programme for their children.
Designed as progressive skills based programme and following the Curriculum Guidelines for the Foundation Stage Physical development Area of Learning, Leaps and Bounds is unique in its structure of developing children’s skills over the 2-year programme with specific objectives set in 10-week blocks. Parents receive an objective card at the start of each block so that they are aware of the skills their child will develop during each 10-week block.
“With current lifestyles, and the growing problem of child obesity, childcare providers and parents are aware of the importance of getting children to start on a healthy lifestyle from a young age. The more they enjoy physical activity, the more likely they are to keep it up throughout their adult years” says Keri Lees of Stafford .
An avid supporter of the programme is Olympic Gold medallist turned broadcaster, Sally Gunnell OBE said “It is great to see how involved children are in the activities and how much fun they’re having. We know if children begin to enjoy physical activity from an early age, they will keep it up in later life”.
