5+ A Day teams up with NZ Football for new partnership

5+ A Day teams up with New Zealand Football for new partnership

The 5+ A Day Charitable Trust is the new partner for New Zealand Football’s nationwide school programme.

Globally, football boasts more than 275 million players and is the number one team sport in New Zealand. 5+ A Day aims to help New Zealand Football continue to boost the number of Kiwi junior players.

Around 64,000 children are currently enrolled in the junior football programme, which operates in over 400 primary schools, and has more than 1,000 coaching staff and volunteers. The programme will now be called, 5+ A Day Football In Schools.

5+ A Day General Manager, Paula Dudley, said the one-year deal aligns well with 5+ A Day’s healthy eating and lifestyle messages, and also fits with initiatives in the government’s Childhood Obesity Plan.

“Childhood obesity is a serious health issue that the government is addressing through a series of initiatives, which include physical activity and nutrition interventions for families,” Paula said.

“The new partnership will support schools in teaching healthy lifestyles in a fun and active way, and reinforce with children that fresh fruit and vegetables are excellent for fuelling participation in sports. We are looking forward to working alongside New Zealand Football to promote these messages.”

The partnership will see the two organisations working together to produce a curricula-linked resource for teachers. New Zealand Football’s Director of Community Football, Cam Mitchell, said the partnership is an exciting new initiative.

“Our Football In Schools programme offers children new opportunities to get active through football and provides schools with practical support with delivery.

“5+ A Day is a well-known Kiwi brand that is synonymous with healthy eating and it’s great that we can now offer a complete package to schools. With the support of 5+ A Day we are able to get more kids kicking footballs before, during and after school.”

New Zealand Nutrition Foundation chief executive, Sue Pollard, said children playing sports and good nutrition go hand-in-hand. “These are both healthy pursuits that can hold children in good stead as they grow older,” she said.

“Fresh fruit and vegetables are the perfect snack for active children and contain important nutrients to help them recover after sport. Promoting health and nutrition through sport is an important way to keep children fit and well.”

ENDS

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