A Liverpool firm that offers activities such as orienteering to thousands of UK schoolchildren strikes deal that opens up international expansion. Tony McDonough reports

Specialist Liverpool training provider Enrich Education has signed a new agreement that opens the door to international expansion.

Enrich was formed in 2014 by three former Knowsley Council employees – John McBride, Joe Gibbons and Matthew Vaudrey. It now employs 12 people and in 2022 worked with around 500 schools across the UK.

It offers a range of sport and education programmes and activities to children via primary and secondary schools. These include orienteering with cross-curricular outdoor learning Quidditch (a game invented by JK Rowling for her Harry Potter series).

It also works with the Children’s University, a national scheme to improve standards of education that recognises not all learning takes place in the classroom.

John McBride told LBN: “We have been working with schools across the country since 2014. We offer enhanced learning and different ways of learning that focus on the wellbeing of children.”

Enrich offers a number of packages for schools. They comprise all the infrastructure, resources and knowledge to support physical activity across the whole curriculum. John added the packages offer around 300 activities.

On Monday it announced a new partnership with the International Orienteering Federation (IOF). This opens up the potential for the business to start offering its services to schools across Europe and other parts of the world. The firm now becomes the IOF’s official School Orienteering Partner.

Managing director Matthew Vaudrey said: “Orienteering is a truly unique way to get young people active and outdoors, positively impacting on their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.

“The potential for schools across the world to use the power of orienteering to enhance young people’s wellbeing and their wider learning, is huge. This exciting and pioneering partnership will enable many more schools and young people to enjoy the benefits of orienteering.” 

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The IOF is the international governing body of the sport of orienteering across the world. Chief executive Henrik Eliasson added: “Through initiatives such as World Orienteering Day, we have received great feedback from schools, teachers and students around the world who have tried their hand at orienteering.

“The unique abilities of orienteering to combine movement and learning is tailor-made for schools. We are convinced that Enrich Education’s experience from the UK is the right one to unlock this potential on a larger scale.

“IOF’s main goal is to become a global and sustainable sport and we look forward to taking a step on the road in close cooperation with Enrich Education and our member federations.”