Former England footballer calls for kids to get off screens and onto pitches during summer holidays
Joleon Lescott is supporting Kellogg's campaign for free summer football camps
A former England footballer is calling for kids to get off screens and get outside and onto pitches during the school summer holidays.
Joleon Lescott, who came through the Wolverhampton Wanders academy and had a successful start to his senior career there, is supporting a nationwide initiative that is offering tens of thousands of free football camp places to kids aged 5-15.
Ran by Kellogg's, the football camps are offering 39,000 free spaces to help keep kids busy and active, without adding extra pressure on parents.
The coaching is led by FA-qualified staff, and it isn't about spotting the next professional.
"There's a generation that are more comfortable texting than probably verbalising certain things," said Lescott.
"So the variety of developmental skills they can take away from these camps are all equally important."
He says they're about keeping kids active, busy and engaged with each other in person, as well as being completely free of charge.
Lesoctt, who also had spells at Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion, added: "I've got children and at times it's probably easier to text them than to have a conversation, so the fact that we can get them off that and get them around each other and meeting new friends from different communities, backgrounds and cultures, I think that all bodes well for their development."
Clubs all across the region are getting involved, including camps running at West Bromwich Albion (across multiple locations), Birmingham City, Walsall FC, Coventry City and Shrewsbury Town.