I started playing darts when I was about their age: Darts superstar pays visit to Fylde Coast primary school
Primary school children on the Fylde Coast were treated to a special visit by an emerging darts superstar ahead of the summer holidays.
World Youth Champion Gian van Veen made a guest appearance at St John's Catholic Primary School in Poulton-le-Fylde as part of a Bullseye Maths session.
Set up by the Professional Darts Corporation, in association with Vanquis, Bullseye Maths is a scheme that helps Key Stage 2 students and anyone interested in maths with numeracy in a fun and inclusive way
23-year-old Dutch player Van Veen gave his backing to Bullseye Maths, following a week of activities alongside the World Matchplay in Blackpool.
What did Van Veen get up to on the Fylde Coast?
The Year Six class at St John's took part in the session alongside Van Veen, enjoying a series of number-based activities and darts scoring challenges designed to encourage involvement in maths.
The sport's annual visit to Blackpool saw further Bullseye Maths sessions take place at the Winter Gardens and at Fleetwood Town's Poolfoot Farm complex during the week, with around 150 children taking part.
The sessions, delivered by the JDC Education Team, included another Dutch ace, Jermaine Wattimena, with pupils from Lever House Primary School, and featured children from Fleetwood Town in the Community, the Manchester United Foundation, Burnley FC in the Community and the Kellogg's Football Camp at Poolfoot Farm.
What did Van Veen say about his visit?
Van Veen: "The sport here in the UK is in really good hands and I really enjoyed the Bullseye Maths session/
"I started playing darts when I was about nine or ten years old - about their age - so I hope that me and the other PDC players who are involved with Bullseye Maths hopefully inspire those kids about how much fun playing darts is and how it can be helpful to your school career as well.
"Darts really helps their maths - it has done for me in the past."
How can I find out more about Bullesye Maths?
Bullseye Maths is supported by Vanquis Bank, whose aims include improving number confidence across society through initiatives led by the Vanquis Foundation.
The PDC's Bullseye Maths online portal features downloadable worksheets and the interactive Mathlete game, alongside videos where top players and referees discuss their experiences around numeracy.
Further details about Bullseye Maths can be seen at pdc.tv/maths.