Hoops 4 Health Legacy, a unique health programme for primary school students has officially been launched to 30 schools in Newham today. Aimed at tackling increased levels of obesity, diabetes and heart disease in the area at an early age, the programme is supported by London Legacy 2020 - an East London Business Alliance (ELBA) programme and Tate Lyle.

Initially launched in Hackney in 2004, the scheme aims to improve health and well-being through promoting increased knowledge of nutrition, better awareness of the risks of smoking and the importance of physical activity and exercise. Hoops 4 Health is carried out by The Basketball Foundation, in partnership with ELBA and the NHS, and includes a series of road shows, coaching sessions, tournaments and mass participation events throughout the year.

The Newham Hoops 4 Health programme was kicked off by London United professional basketball players Steve Ogunjimi, Mansoor Mbye, Darius Defoe and Laurent Irish. The players visited Britannia Village Primary School in Newham for a session on healthy eating, no smoking, fitness and basketball.

“The Hoops 4 Health project delivers a positive and unique healthy lifestyle message and has shown that it can make a major change in young people’s attitudes towards health and sports. Long after the Olympic Games are gone, we hope that the project will still have a major effect on the community of Newham. I would personally like to thank Tate Lyle for all of their support in getting Hoops 4 Health into the schools of Newham,” said Tony Garbelotto, founder of Hoops 4 Health Legacy.

Ken Wilson, Community Relations Officer at Tate Lyle, who helped to fund the project said, “Tate Lyle has been committed to promoting health and wellbeing in the community for a long time. It is important to reach out to children at a young age, so they grow up understanding the importance of physical fitness, a healthy lifestyle and nutrition. This project does just that – the basketball players are great role models for the children and bring the message alive in a fun and engaging way.“

Tate Lyle’s support includes a financial contribution as well as office space at no cost. The company also brokered a relationship with Community Food Enterprise to supply cut price fruit to the students taking part at all Hoops 4 Health events.

Peter Welton, Executive Director of London Legacy 2020, commented: “Hoops for Health delivers healthy messages in an entertaining and interactive manner, working with professional basketball players from London United. The programme has already demonstrated that it can bring a major change in young people’s attitude to their own health and lifestyles.”

In 2006-07 Hoops 4 Health reached the largest number of young people since the scheme started in Hackney in 2004.

After visiting 32 schools and working with over 3,000 children in Hackney between September 2006 and May 2007, Hoops 4 Health Legacy is now rolling out the programme in Newham and aims to visit 30 schools between May and September 2007.

Planned future roll-outs in East London include Greenwich and Tower Hamlets later this year.

Media contact: Shéla McCullough East London Business Alliance 020 7068 6960 Shela.McCullough@elba-1.org.uk