Newham Chess Project to Reach More Students in More Schools

Okay. So I was all about “Stratford this” and “Stratford that” back in the summer when the world’s biggest road show plopped down there. Since then, I haven’t blogged all that much about the area, but I’ve still tried to keep an eye out for goings around Stratford. So I was pleased to see a press release land in my inbox announcing that Chess in Schools and the Communities (CSC) along with Newham Council have landed an opportunity to expand their already existing Newham Chess Project to more school’s across Stratford’s borough of Newham.

The Newham Chess Project started back in June 2010, bringing chess into the classrooms of five Newham schools with weekly chess lessons and eligibility to enter national tournaments for more than 500 children. Now, additional support funded by East Village – the “first legacy neighbourhood to result from the 2012 Games” – means CSC and Newham Council can reach another nine schools and thousands more Newham kids. I reckon that’s great news for Newham and a move well played by East Village as it revs things up to open its doors to prospective residents later this year. Follow this tag for more stuff about East Village on this blog.

On 13 March, two days ahead of the World Chess Candidates Tournament in London – which will see eight of the world’s greatest players including world number one Magnus Carlsen compete for a €500,000 prize fund – East Village will celebrate the arrival of the Grandmasters and its sponsorship of CSC by welcoming local schools to Stratford Library for a morning of Chess games and classes on a giant board – led by British Champion Grandmaster Gawain Jones.

It’s nice to hear global competition continues to find its way to Stratford in one way or another and that more children in Newham are going to get a chance to learn about strategy and logic while playing one of the world’s greatest games.

Find out more:

eastvillagelondon.co.uk

chessinschools.co.uk

Photo courtesy of W Communications