Pigeon association turns to primary school children to boost number of race entries

Pigeon racing has long attracted an eclectic audience with Mike Tyson, Marlon Brando and members of the Royal Family counted among some of the world's most high-profile fanciers.

Now British schoolchildren have been credited with providing a much needed lifeline for the sport and its subsequent renaissance as competing birds become an increasing sight in the playground.

The Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA), the sport's governing body, admitted it was facing a "crisis point" after its membership slipped to just 20,000 last year, following three decades of decline with numbers at 60,000 in 1989.

However, a shift in focus towards UK primary schools has led to a somewhat unlikely revival for pigeon fanciers, which has resulted in an increase of both races and interest.

RPRA development officer Richard Chambers said an initiative aimed at pupils was launched after schools made contact about setting up extra-curricular clubs.

He said: "We managed to open their horizons and show that pigeons are excellent for learning and development within the classroom too."

Schools in Lancashire, Worcester and London have now installed pigeon lofts with hopes more could follow suit. 

Teaching staff have hailed the success of 'pigeon' education, which they said has helped youngsters learn traditional school subjects and feel more included in the classroom.

Paul Burns, headteacher at St Andrews Primary School in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, said: "Having a pigeon loft helps the children in various different ways. When we were racing them in summer, we were doing lots of geography and maths work, for example calculating the distance they were travelling, their speed and velocity and following them on maps."

"The pigeons have been really beneficial for in promoting social interaction and responsibility. There is a big social aspect of it."

"Also, having ownership and being able to look after the pigeons, clean them out, feed them and train them is teaching the children responsibility. They are really getting something out of it."

The school has announced plans to write to the Queen, herself a fan of pigeon racing after watching birds race at Sandringham, about their future endeavours. 

RPRA chief executive Ian Evans said pigeon racing had proved successful in offering children "school inclusion" and could now help the elderly against isolation.

He said: "We are currently exploring how pigeon racing can help the younger generations." "But also, as the government are very focused on social inclusion at the moment, we also want to help the older generations. For example, people who have retired and are experiencing loneliness."

According to the RPRA, Britain's first pigeon races were held over short distances until the creation of the railways paved the way for long-distance contests.

The sport is said to have peaked at the end of the Second World War where pigeons were used extensively as messengers by both armies.

Famous pigeon fanciers include former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, Elvis Presley and Marlon Brando.