Barcelona Femeni star and England Women’s International Toni Duggan visited an international school in Catalunya to launch the Soccer Aid Playground Challenge for Unicef – a fun and active obstacle course designed to help raise vital funds to help Unicef protect children in danger around the world.

Toni met students and staff at the International School of Catalunya, a Unicef UK Rights Respecting School that offers the National Curriculum of England and Wales. The students explained how they designed their own Playground Challenge and invited Toni to get involved. Toni, representing England, coached a team of students as they raced through the Playground Challenge course against a team representing the Soccer Aid World XI, captained by Year 11 student, Maya. Once activities were over, Toni signed autographs for all the students who took part.

Toni Duggan said: “Meeting the students and seeing how children of all ages came together for the Soccer Aid Playground Challenge was so much fun – it’s the perfect way to raise money to help Unicef protect children in danger. I want to encourage kids all across the UK to get together with their classmates to design their Playground Challenge obstacle course and then do everything they can to raise as much as possible on June 8^th.”

“I also want to say thank you to the UK government for matching every pound schools donate – that means that for every £1 you can raise, the government will also give £1, doubling the difference for children all around the world.”

Unicef UK Executive Director, Mike Penrose said: “It’s fantastic that schools across the country will come together to do their bit for children in danger, and have fun taking part in the Soccer Aid Playground Challenge. With the UK government matching every pound, the money you and your classmates raise will go twice as far in helping Unicef protect children all around the world.”

International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, said: “A big thank you to the generous pupils across the country who are supporting Soccer Aid for Unicef this year by taking part in the Playground Challenge. The money you raise will be matched by the UK government pound-for-pound, meaning that, together, we can double our donations to children around the world.”

On Friday 8 June, pupils across the UK will bring in a small donation from home to wear their favourite football or sports kit for the day as they kick, bounce or carry a ball around the Playground Challenge obstacle course they’ve designed themselves.

The UK government will match every £1 schools raise, doubling the difference children in the UK can make to the lives of children around the world.

The money raised by schools through the Playground Challenge will support Unicef’s vital work to save and change children’s lives around the world. For example, just £17 could provide enough vaccines to protect 10 children from deadly diseases and £155 could provide a School in a Box to help at least 40 children continue their education in times of emergency.

As well as raising funds, pupils will be learning how Unicef supports children’s rights to health, education and play through a set of free, curriculum-linked online teaching resources.

For more information or to find out how you can get involved in the Soccer Aid Playground Challenge and access free resources visit: unicef.uk/playground

Visit www.socceraid.org.uk to find out more and follow @SoccerAid on Twitter and Instagram, ‘Soccer Aid’ on Facebook and use the hashtag #SoccerAid for regular player and match updates.