After a huge year on the pitch – Stockport County are helping kids off it too

Stockport County have had an amazing season, capped with a promotion to league one after beating Morecambe at a jubilant Edgley Park.

But it seems the club aren’t resting on their laurels, and their hard work is going on long after the season has ended.

And it’s not just on the pitch they are doing the hard yards.

They are now trying to get more and more children into PE and sports.

Stockport County Community Trust

Stockport County’s Community Trust has launched an initiative to help get PE kits into Stockport’s primary schools in a bid to help get the borough’s primary school children more active and engaged in PE.

Pressures on the family purse continue to be a contributing factor for primary school children not taking part in PE as the cost to buy a PE kit for can sadly be seen as a nice-to-have for families with less disposable income.

With half of the region’s primary school children’s main physical exercise coming from PE at school and 30% of primary school leavers leaving primary school classed as obese, the need to help get these children active and engaged in PE has never been greater.

3,500 free PE kits for Stockport kids

Through its engagement with local primary schools in the area, Stockport County Community Trust found a recurring theme, children were sitting out PE lessons because they didn’t have PE kits. They also found that children were reluctant to borrow PE kits from schools because of the stigma attached.

To help overcome these barriers for children taking part, the club will be providing 3,500 PE kits for primary school children across the region in time for the start of the new school term in September.

Alison Warwood, Stockport County Community Trust CEO

Alison Warwood, Stockport County Community Trust CEO said: “Getting primary school children active and engaged in PE is incredibly important for their physical wellbeing and development. Not having a PE kit, shouldn’t be what stops children from taking part in physical activity.

“The school’s ‘lost and found’ bin sadly comes with a playground stigma, and if children are to enjoy PE in school, they need their own kit they can take pride in.

“As a result, the Club’s owner, Mark Stott has agreed to fund 3,500 PE kits for Stockport’s primary school children in September, targeting families through schools who’re most in need, including those families who fall outside of traditional indicators such as universal credit and the pupil premium and receive little-to-no help.”

90% of Stockport’s school kids could benefit

In Stockport’s most deprived areas, it’s thought that up to 90% of primary school children could benefit from an initiative such as this, as a result, the club aims to raise enough funds so that it can provide 12,500 PE kits for primary school children in 2025.

To help reach this goal, £2 from every Stockport County shirt sold next season will go towards funding the kits. Alternatively, anyone interested in supporting the initiative, can make a contribution via Stockport County Community Trust’s Just Giving page.

In line with most school’s PE kit requirements, each PE kit provided by the club will include white polo shirts, a pair of black joggers and a pair of black shorts.

The Trust has partnered with the market leading school wear manufacturer Trutex, who have kindly agreed to provide the kits at a significant discount.

Alison continued: “We have big ambitions, Mark’s donation of 3,500 PE kits is a great start, but from the research we’ve done with local schools, we estimate almost half of Stockport’s primary school children could benefit from free PE kits, so we want to raise enough funds so next year, we can provide 12,500 PE kits, helping to get more children active and enjoying sport.”

You can find out more about Stockport County Community Trust by clicking here