Springfield House Community Special School are hosting an inspirational workshop with Matthew Lee. Can you help us make it happen?
The School
Springfield House is a day/residential special school situated in a rural position near Knowle, Solihull. The main house is a former country residence and the listed buildings provide a pleasant environment in which the children can feel valued and begin the long process of raising their self-esteem.
Children follow the National Curriculum, adapted as necessary to meet their needs. A number of pupils are able to achieve results in line with national expectations for their age group. Helping children to learn to manage their social, emotional and mental health difficulties is seen as equally important as academic success.
Springfield House's main aim is to empower pupils to make a positive contribution to society. They will achieve this through effective partnerships with pupils, families and other stakeholders.
To develop and improve:
- Self-esteem, resilience and confidence
- Communication and social interaction skills
- Independent thinking and working skills
- The ability and courage to make positive choices
Who's coming?
I started athletics as a junior when I was 15 after I used to swim nationally with Ellie Simmonds and playing Football to academy level. When I was 18 I used to train twice a week for about 2 hours and it wasn’t something I was completely committed to. After consistently training for 3 months I managed to come 4th at my National Championships. It was then I realised I was quite good and should give Decathlon a go. At university I decided to fully commit to athletics and took the sport serious where I would train for 40 hours a week 6 days a week. Such a jump in training load took its toll on my body where it broke down and injuries started happening. In my 2nd year I managed to cope better. I was in a position where I was challenging for international vests. And in the summer of 2015, after doing a grade 2 hamstring tear 8 weeks before my National Championships and hardly training I managed to come 3rd and secure an England Vest. In my first international I came 2nd in the most horrendous conditions. In 2016 I was going from strength to strength, until the same thing happened again, 3 weeks out from challenging for a GB indoor vest I tore my hamstring again. It was a decision to risk competition that I felt was worth the sacrifice, it was paying off as I was winning the competition I was 2 events away from becoming national champion. Then I dislocated my shoulder in pole vault, but I was still selected for the GB team but had to give up my spot as I hadn’t recovered in time. Such a blow and serious injury knocked me and more injuries started happening. But did I give up… NO! I am still training for what I want to achieve. I moved to Liverpool in 2018 and committed my life to athletics. It was a risk that has paid off. I have been back competing after 3 years and have managed to get myself into the best shape of my life and mixing it with some of the top athletes in the country again. I am building for a big year of 2019 where I hope to represent GB twice both indoors and outdoors and pursue my dream f making a Global championships.
Who are we?
Sports For Champions UK (CIC) in partnership with Springfield House Community Special School and the local community are running a fundraiser to help support the mental and physical health of the pupils after the national lockdowns.
Great news! Sports For Champions UK (CIC) will soon visit your school! Youth are invited to join a sponsored fitness circuit led by a Professional athlete, who will educate, enable, and empower participants with a view to inspire them as champions of tomorrow.
While we’re not all athletically inclined we strongly encourage participation, because all youth have talent and require inspiration to pursue their dreams - whatever they may be! After 10 years of success, we can promise a highly memorable event!
SFC events are held in support of schools, which keep 60% of the funds raised to spend on resources that will enrich young peoples’ education/experience. Professional athletes in need of support are the only other beneficiaries from the remaining 40%. SFC is a government audited organization that is voluntarily registered with the Fundraising Regulator. You can support the initiative with assurance.
During the assembly, SFC athletes show medals and tell their story, hard work, lessons, and insights shared to capture the imagination of all and inspire healthier active lifestyles. Athletes discuss challenges on the road to success, with resilience, nutrition, diet, and dedication forming key topics. Fitness is essential for every young person’s general wellbeing in physical and mental health. It is also proven to be a strong booster of learning potential or brain power. By inspiring children as champions of tomorrow, SFC envision youth growing in all walks of life as healthy, [pro] active community-minded talents.
Alongside Team SFC, athletes invest in local communities to avail of support with training-related costs (e.g. physio/travel). Most world-class athletes train a rigorous 35hr week and struggle to find reliable work that fits their schedule. This is how the funds we raise enable athletes and your school/club to realise their potential. Many pro athletes are unsponsored, lose support, or cannot find it.
Sports For Champions CIC offers schools the benefit of an added investment on resources/facilities, whilst helping athletes with the funds required to sustain their journey with a contribution towards training and competition fees, medical costs, equipment, and more.
Springfield House Community Special School is receiving an inspirational visit from renowned Professional athlete Matthew Lee on the 12th of May and we need your support!
The pupils will benefit from Physical activity, an inspirational talk including medal display and a Q&A session.
Why is this important?
Springfield House Community Special School need to recover and rebuild after the national lockdown and with the help of a visit from Matthew Lee the pupils and teachers will be given the tools to respond to issues like a pandemic, begin to focus on friendships and social engagement all while improving their physical and mental well being.
Springfield House Community Special School will benefit from the money raised to invest in key front-line services and equipment.
How can you help?
We're asking all parents to help make it a memorable event for the pupils with the help of Matthew Lee and to raise funds for key resources for Springfield House Community Special School.
If you are a local business or a friend of the school and would like to contribute to help us get to our target then please do make a donation and share our project as far as you can.