A Bedford man, known as ‘Britain’s best skipper’, has run workshops at two local schools to encourage young people to take up the exercise.
Pete Thompson, from North Bedford, has five world records in skipping and is one of the country’s most passionate advocates of the sport.
Last week, Pete, also called Skip Beatz, visited Shackleton Primary, off Elstow Road in central Bedford, and Bedford Academy, to run skipping workshops. The students even had the opportunity to watch Pete skip during a magical light display.
Pete said: “Skipping is one of the most fundamental exercises in any sport. It develops their coordination, balance and strength. It also increases their cardio-vascular fitness, and this is particularly important because we have seen activity levels drop significantly in the last few years.
“The students at Shackleton and Bedford Academy showed great enthusiasm and incredible resilience to keep going through the range of challenges.”
Shackleton Primary School and Bedford Academy are part of HEART Academies Trust.
David Morris, HEART’s Chief Executive, said: “It’s more important than ever that we provide exciting sports opportunities for young people as we know that the pandemic has led to a drop in the amount of exercise they do.
“At HEART Academies Trust, we see our schools as playing an essential role in keeping young people active and finding a sport they enjoy.”
