Chess Sets for St Peters

English Chess Federation President and Normanby resident Gerry Walsh will join local MP Vera Baird and St Peters Roman Catholic College Deputy Head Hartley Ward at the college on Friday 20th June 2008 to hand over 10 free new chess sets.

This is one the first such handovers of the national programme of chess sets for schools coordinated by the English Chess Federation and backed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 

In December, Vera hosted top young chess players from up and down the country to play chess in the Houses of Parliament, with keen chess playing MP Charles Clarke urging them to continue with their sport.  Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe spoke at the event and indicated his support for English Chess.

Vera Baird said “Although I did play chess with my father as a little girl, I won’t pretend I’m now a chess player myself but I know many children love it.  It’s proven to improve concentration and mental ability and it’s so impressive that the ECF have shown such dedication in organising this scheme.  Every child should have the opportunity to play chess.”

Gerry Walsh said “This national programme is picking up pace and I’m proud that one of the first schools to have taken advantage of it is in Teesside.  The ECF supports all young chess players as well as taking our young champions to international tournaments.  There are vital issues around the funding for chess, however, with its recognition as a sport still not finalised.  Hopefully these new sets will mean we will have future chess champions from Teesside.”
 
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Photographers and journalists should come to reception at St Peters College, Normanby Road, South Bank, Middlesbrough, Cleveland  TS6 6SP at 1355 on Friday 20th June for a photo opportunity with Hartley Ward, Ms Baird and Gerry Walsh.
The programme issues chess sets made from recycled plastics by Holloid plastics ltd; with pieces made from recycled components of Chrysler vehicles which otherwise would be used as landfill.

The programme has attracted support from an array of national distributing contractors to deliver the sets all over the country.

ECF have received over 8000 emails of enquiries from MPs, parents and schools enquiring about the scheme.

Ends

Chris Sweet
Office of Vera Baird QC MP

School welcomes gift of chess sets

This article was reproduced by kind permission from the Northern Echo.

A SCHOOL is making all the right moves thanks to the presentation of chess sets.

St Peter's Roman Catholic College, Normanby, has been given ten sets.

The donation is one of the first in a national scheme coordinated by the English Chess Federation (ECF) and backed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Normanby resident Gerry Walsh, who is president of the ECF, joined Redcar MP Vera Baird for the presentation at the school, yesterday.

Ms Baird said: "Although I did play chess with my father as a little girl, I won't pretend I'm now a chess player myself, but I know many children love it.

"It's proven to improve concentration and mental ability, and it's so impressive that the ECF has shown such dedication in organising this scheme. Every child should have the opportunity to play chess."

Last December, the MP got top young chess players from across the UK to take on MPs at chess in the Houses of Parliament.

Mr Walsh said: "This national programme is picking up pace, and I'm proud that one of the first schools to have taken advantage of it is in Teesside.''