Mary HamiltonNorwich City stars helped kick off 90 days of sport and fitness for Norfolk schoolchildren yesterday as part of a new initiative to keep them healthy.Mary Hamilton

Norwich City stars helped kick off 90 days of sport and fitness for Norfolk schoolchildren yesterday as part of a new initiative to keep them healthy.

Club captain and goalscoring hero Grant Holt and Canaries boss Paul Lambert were on the pitch to launch Play 90, a free scheme encouraging more than 100,000 youngsters to exercise regularly and fight off the threat of obesity.

The initiative, backed by Norwich City FC and Norfolk County Council, along with our sister paper the EDP, aims to raise aspirations, skills and attainment in sport among children and young people in the county.

Grant Holt, who has notched 24 goals for the Canaries since signing from Shrewbury in the summer, said: 'It's great to have an initiative like Play 90 which encourages kids to be more active and healthy. Hopefully thousands of youngsters will take part and benefit from the scheme.'

Derrick Murphy, the county council's deputy leader, said: 'This initiative is part of the council's ongoing work with Norwich City FC to raise sporting aspirations, skills and attainment amongst our children and young people.

'Using Norwich City's players as inspirational role models for the campaign, Play 90 looks to get children and young people as active and healthy as possible by having fun.'

Children are asked to sign up at www.play90.com and then begin completing a wall chart as a record of their daily dose of 90 minutes activity, which can include school sports, walking, playing with friends or even pushing a shopping trolley around a supermarket.

All Year 1 to Year 11 pupils (ages five to 16) across the county will be sent a wall chart to enable them to keep track of their progress.

The wallcharts will also be handed out at Norwich City's home matches against Southampton today and Southend United on Tuesday evening.

Is your school doing something unusual to keep youngsters fit and healthy? Tell us your stories by calling reporter Steve Downes on 01603 772495 or email steve.downes@archant.co.uk