“The programme was highly informative and engaging for the children and delivered in such a
way to intrigue, inspire as well as educate. The staff were all very friendly and engaged very well with the children, encouraging and explaining both in the classroom and outside on the field.”

Mr Colin Correa, Holy Rood Catholic Primary School

Watford FC’s Community Sports and Education Trust are proud to be part of the Joy of moving programme.
Ferrero UK’s corporate social responsibility project, the Joy of moving programme, which has been developed and delivered through a partnership with EFL Trust for over seven years, is based on methodology which is designed to inspire children to move though play and captures the fun approach, which we know is key. The methodology was established by independent experts, including Foro Italico (Rome University) and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) and focuses on developing key skills in four major areas:
• Physical fitness
• Motor coordination
• Cognitive functions & creativity
• Life skills
The Joy of moving programme is delivered within schools and consists of two elements; the Move & Learn project and Joy of moving Festivals.
The programme has moved over 400,000 children providing them with over 2,000,000 additional hours of learning and activity.
This year, Watford FC’s Community Sports and Education Trust are looking to inspire even more children to develop lifelong habits which we hope will see them grow into active adults.
Move & Learn
Move & Learn is targeted at children aged 9 and 10 – a key milestone in a child’s development – and is designed to appeal to every child through a fun and engaging approach. Consisting of 9 hours of education over six weeks, plus a series of home-based family challenges, children learn about the importance of physical activity and how to eat a balanced diet and lead an active lifestyle. We also work hard to support and encourage schools to adopt the ideas and approach in the longer term.
We are seeing the results from taking this approach. Children respond with huge positivity, telling us that they have a better understanding of why it’s important to be active and to eat a balanced and varied diet. They are also more motivated to stay active. In fact, our latest evaluation of the programme has shown that 94% of children felt that the six weeks had given them new ideas to get active.
Joy of moving Festivals
Alongside Move & Learn, we run the Joy of moving Festivals that involve the full school during the summer term. These half or full day events are a celebration of being active. Children take part in a range of fun challenges and games during the day.
If you are a school wanting to get involved in the Joy of moving programme – please contact Matthew Watt, details are on page.
Joy of moving Resource hub
Having to adapt to the pandemic, an online resource, the Joy of moving Resource Hub, was made available to parents to keep their children active. The resource hub features several fun activities that can be played in the house or in the garden. Check out the games for inspiration on how to get your family moving through play!