Primary school children in Mauchline are all set to be fired with enthusiasm as they join with the rest of the country in the countdown towards the London 2012 Olympics.

In the ‘Flames’ programme set up by the Council’s Active Schools team, 21 Kilmarnock College Advanced NC sports coaching students will visit local schools, including Mauchline Primary during November.

They’ll give youngsters taster sessions of a range of sports and skills activities, such as throwing and catching, using the Active Club pack.

Active Schools Co-ordinator Gordon Cunningham said: “The students will be working with P6/7 classes for five weeks, playing various fun games, leading up to a festival on 6 December at Kilmarnock College Centre of Sporting Excellence”.

“They will be promoting the three Olympic values of respect, excellence and friendship and the four paralympic values of determination, courage, inspiration and equality”.

At the sporting festival, each of the six schools competing will represent the country it has been allocated in the lead-up to the Olympics. Mauchline will be representing Ethiopia – which has won 38 medals, including 18 golds, since first competing in the 1956 games in Melbourne.

The children will dress in the colours of their country and carry the appropriate national flag.

Attending the ‘Flames’ opening session at New Farm primary school, Ryan Rodger, James Hamilton cluster Active Schools Co-ordinator, said: “This is an excellent club for youngsters to enjoy themselves and get physically active, whilst trying out new sports that will be part of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“The partnership with Kilmarnock College students works well in East Ayrshire. The students were great in their delivery and had the youngsters excited about the upcoming games. They related each activity to an Olympic value - an important part of the Flames programme.”    

The ‘Flames’ programme and Active Club pack are resources from the British Heart Foundation and all students were trained by Active Schools Co-ordinator Gordon Cunningham.