Usually, the organised days are available through the Northampton Borough Council sports fund, the Northamptonshire Community Foundation and individual school funding. However Cllr McCutcheon made it possible for children from Eastfield Primary School to have the opportunity of visiting the centre free of charge for a week.
Cllr McCutcheon is just the latest councillor to offer similar support, following the likes of Brandon Eldred, Suresh Patel, Tim Hadland, Matt Goldby, Jonathon Nunn, and NBC leader David Mackintosh.
The week has seen the children have participate in a wide range of activities, including developing circus skills, learning origami, a stadium tour, rugby lessons, trampolining at Benham Sports Centre, making puppets with film and theatre designer Amy Nicholson, and extra school curriculum studies such as literacy, maths and ICT in a sporting context.
“Being a teacher I have always wanted to give children the best chance I could,” said Cllr McCutcheon. “I feel it is important that as many of the children as possible get the opportunity to do this sort of thing during the school holidays.”
Centre Manager Pete Austen added: “We have been fortunate at the Study Centre to have had financial support from councillors for a variety of programmes over the years. Children always learn a great deal here at the Study Centre and realise learning can be fun.”
Here’s what the children thought of their time at the Study Centre:
“I especially loved making my own puppet; he’s made friends with my teddy at home.”
“We learnt lots of new life skills.”
“It was a great experience.”
“The Saints made me feel like I can do anything.”
To find out more about the Saints Study Centre, contact Pete or Jeanette on 01604 599152 or visit www.saintsstudycentre.org or www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/education
