Living the dream...

BE a winner: hockey star Charlotte Hartley, with year five pupils after helping to launch the Be the Best you can Be! campaign. From left Bradley Gleeson, Grace Elswood, Owen Hartley, Oliver Ankers, Akeela Yousaf and Emaan Ashraf

Children had a chance to show off their stick-skills when Commonwealth bronze medal-winning hockey player Charlotte Hartley visited their school.

Mills Hill Primary School in Chadderton welcomed the sporting guest as it launched the Olympic-inspired Be the Best you can Be! programme, which encourages children to develop their potential.

Charlotte (28), told the youngsters about her own struggles to win bronze in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

“I always loved sport but struggled academically,” she said. “I was bullied at primary school and most of my hair fell out because of the stress.

“But I didn’t let the bullies stop me and, in year eight I was introduced to hockey by my PE teacher, who was a huge influence on my career.”

Charlotte is hoping her story and the new programme will inspire other children who struggle like she did.

“The programme allows sports stars to tell their story to encourage and inspire young people,” she explained.

Head teacher Ian Mason, said: “I was determined we would be one of the schools to undertake the Be the Best you can Be! Programme. The inspiration offered by high achievers is incredibly powerful and can reach out to engage young people.”