Team GB, ParalympicsGB and Aldi have teamed up on new initiative to help an estimated 20 million children stay active this summer.
The Get a Taste For Sport initiative will give children around the country the chance to try an Olympic or Paralympic sport for free, with a voucher for a taster session offered to every shopper that spends more than £30 in store at Aldi between Monday 19 June until Monday 31 July.
Whether they want to try triathlon, give gymnastics a go or have a crack at canoe, codes can be redeemed online where families can find participating clubs nearby and learn how to book their free place.
The launch of the initiative follows a new poll* revealing that more than half (54%) of low-income parents either plan to or have already cut back on the number of sport clubs they send their child to. Two thirds (68%) will have to make sacrifices to pay for their child to attend sports clubs this summer, whether it be picking up on extra work (38%) or socialising less (37%).
The research also found that three quarters (76%) are worried about being able to cope financially during the school holidays, with the cost of bills (80%) and days out for their child (75%) among the top concerns.
Three-time Olympic champion Max Whitlock said: “Not only do children deserve the freedom to do what they love, but the importance of sport and exercise on a child’s physical and mental wellbeing cannot be underestimated. Sport allowed me to find my confidence and make friends for life, and now as a parent I want to ensure the same for my own child.
“The cost of living crisis is putting some parents in a position where they have to sacrifice sending their child to sports clubs and there is clearly work to be done to promote equal access to sport across the country. That’s why I am proud to be working with Aldi and Team GB to help more children stay active with the Get a Taste for Sport initiative.”
Team GB’s partnership with Aldi first launched in 2015, and has since helped teach more than 2 million children about the importance of a well-balanced and nutrient-rich diet through the Get Set to Eat Fresh initiative. Aldi also helps to fuel Team GB athletes’ training by providing vouchers for them to spend on fresh and healthy food each month.
*Research was commissioned by Aldi and conducted by Censuswide between 19-26 May 2023, with a sample of 2,000 UK parents from low-income households as defined by the Department of Work and Pensions.