Sainsburys broadens its Active Kids promotion

Sainsbury's Active Kids is an annual in-store voucher collection scheme which encourages UK children to be more active and eat healthily.

But in a ground-making move this year, Bexhill children can donate their vouchers to benefit less fortunate schools of their choice in developing countries.

Special sports packages have been designed to cater for the needs of schoolchildren across the world, which include items such as footballs, basketballs, kwik cricket sets, pumps and Frisbees

Dame Kelly Holmes, Active Kids brand ambassador said: "I am really proud to support Active Kids again this year. It's really great that kids in Britain are going to have the chance to help more needy children than themselves. Donating vouchers to schools in developing countries will make a huge difference and enhance the quality and range of sports that can be played there - it's absolutely fantastic."

This year's promotion will be launched on Thursday. From thenb until June 4, shoppers can earn one Active Kids voucher for every 10 spent in-store or on Sainsbury's Online.

To encourage shoppers to choose more healthy purchases, there are bonus vouchers for fresh fruit, vegetables and salad, plus any of the thousands of foods marked with the healthy "apple stamp."

This includes milk, pasta, rice and fresh fish.

Sainsbury's Active Kids vouchers can then be donated to any local school, Scout or Guide group participating in the scheme and redeemed for almost 1,000 different pieces of exciting sports equipment '“ everything from space hoppers to skipping ropes as well as coaching in unusual activities like street-dance and taekwondo.

Vouchers can also be redeemed for over 50 different types of cooking equipment including bread-makers, steamers and woks as well as basics such as wooden spoons and chopping boards. In addition, Sainsbury's has agreed partnerships with the Rugby Football Union, Premier Rugby, English Basketball and English Netball, so pupils can go and watch matches as a way to get inspired to do more sport.

But schools also have the option to collect their vouchers for "partner schools" in developing countries, to donate specially selected packages of sports equipment through the Sainsbury's Active Kids Fund.

Over 40,000 British schools, nurseries and Scout and Girl Guide groups are now registered to benefit from the Active Kids scheme, and since launch over 52m of sports and cooking equipment has been delivered. In 2007, every group that made an order received an average of 630 worth of equipment.