On Thursday, 6 April more than 100 local boys and girls from St Enda's Primary School, Whitefriar Street, Dublin 8 and Presentation Primary School, Warrenmount, Dublin 8 got active while having fun as part of the annual REACH RCSI Sports Day.

These primary school children were led by 30 transition year students from Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount who got to test out their leadership skills.

The event, organised by RCSI's REACH (Recreation Education And Community Health) Programme provides a great opportunity for school children aged between seven to 10 years of age, to develop their sports skills and get some exercise by taking part in a number of traditional sports day games and activities.

More than 40 RCSI undergraduate student volunteers oversaw the day's events, which included a speed test which will find out who the fastest participant in the two schools is. This test was conducted by Dermot McDermott from ‘Ireland's Fastest Kid project’, who gauged speed testing over flying 20 metre runs. The RCSI Rugby team was be on hand to deliver a rugby masterclass to the children, before they take part in a tag rugby game.

The REACH RCSI Sports Day aims to raise awareness and promote life-long recreation and community health by introducing the participants to new sports and bringing together RCSI students and staff together with our community partners at primary and post primary level. RCSI students and staff volunteer to help run the event, organised by the REACH RCSI Programme, at the College's sports grounds in Dardistown, Swords. Other activities in this action packed day included: a five-a-side soccer tournament, an obstacle course, a pipeline challenge, retrieve and conquer rounders, H2O Race, along with a range of traditional sports day games including the sack race, egg and spoon races.

Maria Kelly, REACH RCSI Manager said, "Our annual REACH Sports Day is always a fantastic opportunity for children from two schools situated in our local community to get outside and get active, something which is very important for attaining lifelong health and well-being. This year, for the first time, we were delighted to further involve our community partners with transition year student youth leaders from Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount who were guided by our own student volunteers. RCSI student participation in the sports day is part of RCSI's International Citizenship Programme."

The REACH RCSI Programme is a Community Engagement and Access programme at RCSI. The initiative is aimed at encouraging and facilitating third level participation and enhancing life chances for those traditionally underrepresented at third level, particularly those from Dublin's south inner city.