Bring back our children’s love of skipping in the West Midlands

BHF urges schools and youth groups in the West Midlands to encourage fun exercise by signing up to Jump Rope For Heart.

A survey conducted by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has found that 73% of seven to 16 year olds from the West Midlands enjoy playing outside at school, yet 55% do not own a skipping rope.  The BHF is keen to put skipping back on the map through its Jump Rope For Heart scheme, encouraging schools to have fun whilst raising vital funds for the nation’s heart charity.

This year marks the 25^th anniversary of Jump Rope For Heart which has seen five million children take part in a skipping event for schools and youth groups. 20% of the funds raised can be kept by the school or organisation signed up to the scheme as well as a free skipping kit worth up to £100.

Over 25,000 schools and youth groups across the UK have signed up to the event in the past 25 years and the BHF wants to continue encouraging children to learn ‘cross-overs’ and ‘jumping jacks’, bringing skipping ropes back into the playground.

Aimed at seven to 16 year olds, Jump Rope For Heart is easy to set up in a school or youth group in the West Midlands. The free skipping kit includes skipping ropes, a skipping skills DVD and sponsorship forms as well as other helpful information.

To celebrate the silver anniversary of the skipping sensation, Jump Rope For Heart, the BHF created the Silver Skip tutorial video for children across the UK to learn some exciting new moves. The skip can be tried by all and the step by step tutorial video can be paused as you learn new techniques together such as cross-overs and arm wraps. The video is available at bhf.org.uk/jumprope

Beck Bayram, Jump Rope For Heart Project Manager at the BHF, said: ‘It’s fantastic that over three quarters of children in the West Midlands love playing outside at school. We want to encourage schools and youth groups in your area to sign up to Jump Rope For Heart and use the children’s love of the outdoors to skip and raise money for our life-saving work.”

For more information or  to register your school/youth group for Jump Rope For Heart visit bhf.org.uk/jumprope or call 01892 893 913.