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Children and Young People

Chris Jones at HAWCS with Tom Rutter

CEO Chris Jones returns to HAWCS Athletics Club

Celebrating their tenth birthday this year, HAWCS Athletics Club have gone from strength to strength throughout the last decade. Based in Ware, Hertfordshire, the club caters for athletes of all abilities from age 10 to masters.
kids trying funetics at Lewisham

Lack of curriculum PE is failing our children

England Athletics and partners call for political party leaders to facilitate more access to sport and physical activity to help alleviate the mental health epidemic in the UK. England Athletics has today hosted the second in a series of All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Running events, with a further call from Kim Leadbetter MP – chair of the APPG – for MPs to recognise the need for more support for physical and mental health amongst children.
Home Countries logos

Home Countries vote to establish task force to address drop out from athletics

Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAF) met to debate the suggested changes to the existing age groups set out within the UK Athletics (UKA) rule book, following a period of consultation. The suggested changes were from current age groups of U13, U15 and U17 to new proposed age groups of U12, U14, U16 and U18.
Children at All Purpose Parliamentary Group in Liverpool

Commonwealth Games Legacy initiative celebrates engagement of over 20,000 children

The power of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games firmly placed the city on the global stage. It also acted as a catalyst, allowing funetics to establish an ambitious legacy activation initiative, funded by Sport England.

A fantastic launch weekend for the brand-new cohort of Youth Talent Programme athletes

Last weekend over 250 athletes came together at both Loughborough and Birmingham universities for the Youth Talent Programme new cohort training camp! The weekend consisted of lots of training with the national event group coaches as well as interactive workshops including learning all about UK Anti-Doping. But what makes the programme so special, and how has it been developed to make it better than ever this year? Youth Talent Programme Manager, Alan Richardson and England Athletics CEO Chris Jones tell you why.
Children taking part in a funetics session

We’re delighted to see Physical Literacy Consensus Statement for England published

The Physical Literacy Consensus statement, issued by Sport England will help those working in the sport, education, physical activity, recreation, play, health, and youth sectors.

Celebrating the importance of sport and physical activity on children’s mental health

Mental health has been at the forefront of not just our minds at England Athletics this week but the world, with World Mental Health Awareness Day celebrated this Tuesday. We caught up with some key players in the sporting community to find out how they have been affected by mental health challenges, and why running can have such a positive impact.
Children taking part in the Daily Mile along the Albert Dock

Our children are in a mental health crisis. We need to take action now

This World Mental Health Day, our sport is calling on the leaders of our political parties to unlock the potential of sport and physical activity to play a more meaningful role in tackling the UK’s growing mental health epidemic. Launched today at an All Parliamentary Committee session in Liverpool, led by Kim Ledbetter for Sport, the central message in the Open Letter to MP’s says we’re failing too many of our children, who leave school unfit, inactive and dealing with poor mental health on an unprecedented scale:
Children at Lawley Running Club

Lawley Running Club start their funetics journey

Whether your club currently has a junior section, or you are considering opening your doors to young people, funetics is the perfect place to start just as Lawley Running Club in Shropshire have done.
AJ Bell Great North Run branding on bridge

Sunshine and smiles on Super Saturday

The AJ Bell Great North Junior and Mini Run was a celebration of sport in its purest form.  The next generation of athletes took part in either a 4km or a 1.2km run around the quayside of Newcastle, a spectacular backdrop for a brilliant day of action.