Foundation receives royal seal of approval after visit from His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh

Our Foundation has showcased some of its life-changing work for local residents in front of His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh.

The Duke was at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday for the annual general meeting of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the body for national sports organisations in the UK, of which he is President.

His Royal Highness observed a Shape Up with Spurs exercise session and PE activities and educational workshops for pupils of a local primary school, delivered as part of the Premier League Primary Stars programme.

Shape Up with Spurs sessions take place in community venues across the local area, as part of the Foundation’s free Making Sport a Daily Habit programme funded by the Premier League and Professional Footballer’s Association Community Fund.

Rob and Mav Highsted, who live close to the Stadium, have been attending for seven years and describe them as “crucial” to their physical and mental health. They first got involved to try and help deal with various health issues - Rob being asthmatic, overweight, having a high blood pressure and two knee replacements, and Mav living with chronic fatigue.

As a result of Shape Up with Spurs, Rob is a stone lighter, with greatly improved lung capacity, whilst Mav is better able to manage her fatigue, enabling her to provide a weekly community lunch in the nearby Antwerp Arms.

After sharing their experience with The Duke, Rob said: “It was a treat for us and our fellow Shape Up with Spurs participants.”

Mav added: “He was interested in how the programme helps us manage our health and how we were keeping both ourselves and the community healthy.”

Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of football to help children be active and develop essential life skills. In the last four years, the Foundation has engaged almost 7,000 children across 88 schools through the programme.

Pupils of Lancasterian Primary School in Tottenham – where the Foundation has delivered early morning football clubs, girls’ football clubs, supported sports days and offered other targeted interventions – had the opportunity to meet The Duke.

Raheim, nine, said: “Today was really fun, being out of the classroom and having a bit of a runaround. When Tottenham comes to our school, we feel special because it’s a big club.”

Indigo, nine, added: “It was a great day and we had a great view of the pitch here!”

Scarlett Eddy, Raheim and Indigo’s teacher, said: “The children were so excited to come to the Stadium. They’ve all said what a great time they had and that they want to come back. It was the most engaged I’ve seen them doing anything for so long.

“The Foundation’s had a massive impact at school. The children are obsessed with the Stadium and Spurs, and we’ve seen attendance become more regular due to the excitement of the Foundation’s football sessions.”

The Duke also met with the Club’s Executive Director and the Foundation’s Chair of Trustees, Donna-Maria Cullen, and the Foundation’s Chief Executive, Marc Leckie, to discuss how the Stadium and its increased number of events and activities is driving the regeneration of the area and local employment.

Marc said: “We’ve had a brilliant day demonstrating, alongside the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the power of sport to inspire and empower local communities.

“We’re really proud of our work across Haringey, Enfield and surrounding boroughs, where we’re able to reach and change the lives of thousands of people by harnessing the unique power of the Club brand.”

Both Shape Up with Spurs and Premier League Primary Stars funding is administered through the Premier League Charitable Fund.

For more information about the Premier League Primary Stars programme, email the Foundation education manager at andrew.wands@tottenhamhotspur.com.