Lidl NI's Sport for Good programme: 24 schools secure place on award-winning scheme

Pupils are set to benefit from the programme which will see students participate in a series of mental health workshops, with each school also receiving £1,000 worth of brand-new sports equipment.

Running throughout the academic year, a specially selected and fully trained team of Northern Ireland’s best-known athletes, representing a wider range of sports, will team up to roll out the school workshops including Olympic hockey players Shirley McCay MBE and Eugene Magee, four-time Paralympic athletics champion Michael McKillop MBE and Ireland badminton athlete, Ciaran Chambers.

The schools participating in this year’s programme are Ballymena Academy, Our Lady of Lourdes (Ballymena), Hazelwood Integrated College (Newtownabbey), Slemish College (Ballymena), St Patrick’s Academy (Lisburn), Hunter House College (Finaghy), Crumlin Integrated College, Cambridge House Grammar School (Ballymena), Dunclug College (Ballymena), Thornfield House Special School (Newtownabbey), St Mary’s College, Magherafelt High School, Gaelcholaiste Dhoire (Dungiven), Foyle College, Sperrin Integrated College (Magherafelt), Rathfriland High School, St Patrick’s (Banbridge), St Malachy’s College (Belfast), Glenola Collegiate School (Bangor), St Kevin’s College (Lisnaskea), St Joseph’s College (Dungannon), Drumglass High School (Dungannon), Aughnacloy College and Holy Cross College (Strabane).

Co Tyrone’s Olympic hockey star and Ireland’s most capped former international hockey player, Shirley McCay MBE said: “The Mental Health Athlete Mentorship programme has made a real impact on thousands of students, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to build resilience, self-esteem and better manage stress.

"Sport plays such an important role in empowering young adults to better manage their overall mental health, which is more important than ever. I’m honoured to continue delivering these workshops that bring real benefits to pupils and to play my part in inspiring the next generation of sporting legends to future success.”

The campaign was launched for a fourth consecutive year by long-standing Sport for Good Ambassadors six-time Paralympic gold medallist swimmer Bethany Firth OBE, European Championship 1500 metre silver medallist Ciara Mageean and World Champion gymnast Rhys McClenaghan.

Lidl shoppers voted for their chosen school, with thousands of entries received and hundreds of schools in the running to secure a coveted place on the programme.

Developed in partnership with Youth Sport Trust, the UK’s leading charity dedicated to improving young people’s education and development through sport and play, Lidl NI’s Sport for Good Mental Health Athlete Mentorship programme launched in 2021 after research revealed that Northern Ireland has 25 per cent higher rates of anxiety and depression in the child and youth population compared to other UK nations.

Ivan Ryan, Regional Managing Director for Lidl Northern Ireland stated: “Feedback from schools and pupils that have benefitted from the programme is incredibly positive and it’s heartening to see the transformative impact that this bespoke initiative is having at a local level. I’m delighted to see new schools secure their spot on this year’s programme.”

Ali Oliver, CEO of Youth Sport Trust added: “Experience has shown the huge positive impact our athlete mentors can have on the young people they work with, and we are looking forward to bringing this dynamic programme into the selected schools and following the progress of the students over the months ahead.”