• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

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Screen Shot 2015-12-16 at 15.27.08Middlesbrough Football Club mascot Roary the Lion is teaming up with businesses and schools to boost primary school attendance across Teesside.

‘Roary’s Class Acts’, which has been designed and developed by Emmerson Marketing and Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation and funded by the Cleveland Centre, will spread the message to youngsters that every school day matters.

Thanks to support from both the Middlesbrough Schools Teaching Alliance and the Middlesbrough Catholic Schools Partnership, the initiative is being rolled out to of the region’s Catholic schools from January 2016. Each school will be given a variety of promotion material to help motivate the students, including stickers, certificates and wall charts.

In a launch day at the Riverside Stadium, Roary was introduced to two student ambassadors from each of the schools taking part. Having been introduced to the scheme and enjoying a tour of the Riverside Stadium, the children and their teachers will now take the message back to their classrooms.   

There are plans for the best performing schools to be given rewards as the project progresses. Should this pilot project prove successful, it is hoped that the reach of ‘Roary’s Class Acts’ will be extended to even more schools in the area.

Andy Clay, Operations Manager at MFC Foundation, said: “Attending school is hugely important for a child’s development, so we are very excited to start rolling out ‘Roary’s Class Acts’ and hopefully boosting school attendances. It has been brilliant to see the support of all the schools and business that share our vision for Teesside’s young people.

Ian Jolly, from Emmerson Marketing, said: “We are delighted to support MFC Foundation with such an innovative and worthwhile campaign.  Hopefully, the branding and associated marketing materials we’ve produced – featuring everyone’s favourite mascot Roary – resonates with schoolchildren, helping bring the campaign to life and encouraging school attendance.”

Graham Skillen, Manager at the Cleveland Centre, said: “This is a fantastic scheme to encourage kids to attend school every day and to increase schools’ attendance performances. Cleveland Centre is proud to be paired with a project that has so many positives.”

John O’Boyle, speaking on behalf of the Middlesbrough Catholic Schools’ Partnership, said: “Attending school on a regular basis makes a very real and significant difference to the academic success and overall well-being of a child. We are very pleased and grateful to have formed a partnership with MFC Foundation, The Cleveland Centre and Emmerson Marketing in order to highlight such an important issue.”

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By admin