What a Hoop-la

Buttsbury Junior School is the home of our second RotaKids club, and this year's charity is Cancer Relief with an ambitious target of £10,000. 

Ann Robinson, the head teacher, contacted us early in the New Year to “let you know that our annual sponsored event is on Friday 26th January - we’re doing Hoopla this year - for Cancer Research UK - the children’s chosen charity. It will be on most of the morning - starting about 9.40am.
I wondered if you wanted to pop along …”

We could watch the children undertake their charity task, for which they planned to be sponsored by their family and friends.

Hoops a Plenty

But what were we going to see? Was it hula hoops, the exercise fad in England in the 14th century when doctors reported injuries such as dislocated backs? Or was it Hoopla, a game the ancient Greeks played by throwing horseshoes at a peg?

Our confusion was resolved as we walked into the school playground on January 26 to see dozens of enthusiastic year six children from two year 6 classes, lined up in pairs in two columns from each class, with hula hoops at their feet, ready to twirl these colourful hula hoops around their waists. It was a glorious sunny day with unseasonal temperatures of ten degrees.

Every Child Took Part

The children were lined up in pairs, one hooping(!) with their partner counting the number of rotations, and the teachers meticulously recording each pupil’s results.  Then changing places so all children had a go at the “hooping”.

During the morning every class came into the playground to play their part. It didn't matter how many times the hoop fell to the ground; every attempt was counted. Clearly some children had a gift for the sport as they imperceptibly moved their hips yet they still managed to keep the hoop spinning.

Several year 6 pupils managed over 100 rotations, and one child told us a friend had managed 176 rotations without stopping.  What was so impressive was that it was an activity in which every child in the school took part, so that each one of them were made to feel part of the fund-raising activity. 

Needless to say, neither Peter or Stephen were persuaded to pick up a hoop, however Ann Robinson joined in the fun and demonstrated a very effective technique, to the applause of the children.  She even managed to complete 87 spins without dropping the hoop with an admirable technique!

Break time arrived and we were escorted to the staff room by two very helpful six years. There we were offered tea or coffee, and also cakes provided by Ann, it had been her birthday earlier that week. The staffroom is too small for the number of staff but that did not seem to matter as none of the teachers sat down or spent more than a few minutes there. Clearly there is little time for relaxation for the busy teachers.

As we stood in the library watching the children come in from their break time play, many of them smiled and waved at us. What a happy and well-behaved school it is.  We then watched the year threes perform their hula hoops.  There were many dropped hoops but it did not matter, such was their enthusiasm and fun. 

Headteacher Ann Robinson summed it all up.  “Everyone had a great time spinning their hoops with some children managing treble figures! The children had been practising hard in the run up to the event and had great fun, twisting and turning - it’s amazing how tiring it is!”
“Cancer Research UK is a charity which is close to many of us so lots of money has been collected following the event - we’ve set ourselves a target of £10,000 over the year which we hope to smash in true Buttsbury-style!”

And what did they raise? It took some time to collect all the sponsorship but we can reveal that in the tradition of the school, yet again this one event has already raised £2175.

Well done to all at Buttsbury and let’s hope you reach the magic £10,000.

We’re sure you will!