DARTS IN EDUCATION

"THE BDO GETS DARTS INTO EDUCATION

The British Darts Organisation’s valuable two year partnership with the government’s ‘Get On’ campaign to improve numeracy, has resulted in darts being used as the basis for a maths qualification.

Skills Minister Phil Hope, MP, is so keen on this latest government initiative that he became the first Minister to play in a televised match at Lakeside, when he took on Bobby George as part of the BBC’s extensive and varied coverage of the 2006 World Professional. He was immediately nicknamed ‘Phil The Skill’.

He also met England captains Martin Adams and Trina Gulliver and presented the BDO with a brass plaque to mark their support of the Get On campaign, and the success of darts in improving numeracy skills.

Andy Fordham launched the ‘Get On’ campaign on behalf of the BDO in 2004, and it has become one of the most successful government initiatives in recent years. The last two Lakeside World Pro’s have attracted ministerial visits and the distribution of Get On literature to the capacity audiences.

Phil Hope’s visit to Lakeside 2006 produced high-profile media interest, with national newspaper features and TV and radio exposure.

“The BDO’s involvement with this campaign has been extremely valuable in raising the profile of darts”, says Olly Croft. “Everyone involved in our sport has always recognised the mathematical benefits and mental agility needed to play competitively at all levels. We are delighted that the government has recognised this with the Get On campaign, and I am proud that darts is now helping so many people to improve their numeracy”.

Amazingly, 14 million adults in this country have maths skills lower than that of the average 11 year-old.

“This doesn’t just have a detrimental effect on an individual’s job prospects, but is bad for the country as a whole”, says Phil Hope. “If people are inspired to improve their maths through a sport they enjoy like darts, then so much the better”.

Someone who did just that is Helen Rigg, who actually went to the same school as six times Women’s World Champion Trina Gulliver.

Helen left school with no maths qualifications, but darts has changed her life. “I started playing at 19, but at first I was too embarrassed to chalk because of my poor maths skills”, she says. “However, because I wanted to play I made the effort to improve, and the transformation has been wonderful. Darts has changed my life very much for the better”.

Indeed, Helen now plays for Warwickshire and her maths is so improved that she has now enrolled on an accountancy course at her local College.

The BDO is proud to be continuing its valuable liaison with the Get On campaign, and anyone interested in receiving literature or details of the free courses available should call: 0800 100 900."