The Valhalla Foundation - a registered charitable trust was created in January 2009 in the interests of social welfare and to help improve the quality of life for the public at large. 

Specifically the Valhalla Foundation will use Health and Fitness to underpin its activities utilising the strengths and experience of The Widnes Vikings Rugby League Club to whom the Valhalla Foundation is closely linked.

Our aims:                      

• To educate and encourage children and adults living in Halton and the North West Region, to live healthy active lifestyles.
• Deliver FUNdamental sports skills.
• Encourage children and young people to invest in their future by learning new skills.
• To give children and young people positive experience and generate confidence to enhance their life.
• To encourage female participation in sport and active lifestyle.
• Increase awareness of the effects of anti-social behaviour and give help and advice to tackle such behaviours e.g. bullying within schools / looking at knife crime.
• Increase the awareness of substance abuse and work with young people to develop reasons and techniques to "Say No!"
• To work with young people to drive improvement in attitude and behaviour.
• Develop strong sustainable links between the club and local schools.
• Provide teaching and training on coaching methods and practices.
• Provide an unforgettable Widnes Vikings experience.
• To encourage participation in Rugby League activities across the borough of Halton.
• Provide educational opportunities on the heritage of the Rugby Club.

Courses Provided;

• Six week rugby league coaching project aimed towards big match experience curtain raiser.
• Vikings Against Bullying (VAB Team).
• Healthy Eating with Vikings First Team.
• Drugs Awareness.
• How Tough Are You (Knife Crime Lesson).
• Kemik Activity Morning.
• 'Thinking About Your Future'
• Vikings Fun Days.
• Educational Stadium Tours.
• Rugby Tournaments / Tag Tournaments / Runcorn League.
• Assembly Presentations
• Player Interviews

Anti Bullying is sponsored by

Unison

The coaching sessions are one hour long and run for five weeks consecutively.

They cover the core skills involved with playing rugby league and having fun. The sessions cover handling, tackling, kicking, as well as multi skill techniques.

The aim of the sessions is to train the children to be fully equipped to play in a match. (Y4-6) These can be run as afterschool clubs culminating in interschool tournaments.

A four week project that sees first team players visit a school and delivering an anti-bullying lesson which includes circle time, tactics and role play.

After a series of teacher-led sessions the players then revisit the school to watch an assembly performed by the children about what they have been taught from taking part in the project and to hopefully induct them into the VAB Team. (Y4-5)

A 90 minute lesson led by the Community Development Team. Through an interactive quiz, circuit session and fruit tasting the children are taught the importance of making the right nutritional choices and maintaining an active lifestyle. (Y3-6)

An interactive lesson designed to educate the children on the growing incident rate of weapon crime, the consequences of carrying a knife and how to avoid ever becoming involved in Anti-Social Behaviour. (Y6)

Kemik will visit the school and do a variety of activities throughout the morning with the class. These activities include story reading, designing a kit and plenty of rugby based fun. (R-Y2)

These lessons include thought showers, highlighting apprenticeships or jobs available along with cover letter and C.V. writing. The pupils are also taught interview technique and observational and listening skills. The session is designed to encourage the children to begin to think about their future. (Y6)

The days are made up of coaching sessions, player interviews and rugby based quizzes. They are usually run in the summer term and last year tied in well with 'Shine' week. (Y2-Y6)

This year sees the introduction of another new project from the Valhalla team.

 We are opening our doors to classes of school children to come and have a tour of the rugby club and have a look at what really goes on behind the scenes.

The children are shown the pitch, the gym and office areas. They are given the opportunity to meet and speak to people who work for the club and finish their tour with a visit to the Widnes Vikings Heritage Museum. (Y3-Y6)

These will be held throughout the year with schools who have participated in our coaching sessions.

This gives the children the opportunity to play on the Stobart Stadium pitch and further continue their player development.

This serves to continue pupils development as an individual and a team player in a competitive environment. (Y4-Y6)

The Community Development team are also available to do motivational assemblies or video shows talking about what it means to be a professional rugby league player.

Alongside this it can also be organised for players to visit the school and take part in question and answer sessions.

An interactive lesson that teaches the children the Viking way of life and brings the Vikings back to life from Valhalla

 Session is made up of video clips, quizzes and gives the children the opportunity to design their own authentic Viking tapestry.

An interactive lesson teaching the children the required skills to deal with the media.

 They are put through a filmed post match interview as players and coaches which are later reviewed and developed into role play scenarios', as coaches delivering inspirational team talks.

This activity enlists the help of a professional interviewer and each school is left with hard copies of their television appearances.

In collaboration with the local PCT, the Valhalla Foundation deliver a weight management programme in the local sports / leisure centre, tackling obesity in the Halton area.

Primary school children and their parents are referred onto the 8 week programme by school nurses and receive an exercise programme and dietary advice from nutritional experts and the Valhalla Foundation coaching team.

The Valhalla Team take a first team player into a school and talk to the children about the dangers of smoking and how it can hinder your development as a player.

The children get the opportunity to ask the player anything they want about smoking and the problems involved, and seek advice on how they can moderate their lifestyles to be fit and healthy.