Last week I was delighted to be back in Northern Ireland to help launch the multi-skills ‘Wildcats Activ8’ Inspire Mark project. This project is the second phase of the successful Activ8 project I visited in June of this year. (You might remember the photos of my attempts at hula hoop on my previous blog!).

A fantastic 10,000 children in 200 schools have signed up to the Active8 project which has led Sport Northern Ireland to develop the Wildcats project.

Wildcats builds on the Activ8 project which was aimed at getting kids more active in schools by offering them the opportunity to take part in sport activities outside of school in multi skill clubs in the community.

Wild Cats Activ8 clubs are multi-skills clubs for 5-11 year olds that will run across Northern Ireland after school and in community leisure centres. The clubs teach children the fundamental skills for all sports: agility; balance; coordination; body movement; team work; confidence and enjoyment. The content of the club has been carefully selected to ensure it is fun, safe and challenging as the child increases in skill level.

The children of Cregagh Primary School in Belfast certainly showed they were having fun when they demonstrated the skills they had learnt during their time in a Wildcats Active8 club – jumping/ball skills/coordination - to me and a packed hall full of mayors, teachers and sport professionals in the Cregagh Community Centre last Wednesday.

I was invited to take part in the jumping competition with some of the young boys who had to lie down head to toe and I had to jump their length. Luckily I managed to jump the length of both of them from a standing start – no mean feat even if I say so myself, and no wind to assist me either!

After a fun and enjoyable morning with the children and numerous photographs later my arms nearly gave way holding all the equipment.

We headed off for a meeting with some of the Board members of Sport Northern Ireland and how London 2012 can help increase sport participation and leave a lasting legacy for Northern Ireland post the Games. The meeting was very positive and was rounded off by a lovely lunch which lived up to true Irish hospitality.