Bedford’s Pete ‘Skip’ Thompson, formally known as ‘The Skipping Ninja’, has taken his school visits international, visiting a school in Harare, Zimbabwe to donate ninja skipping ropes, and inspire all of the children to jump, skip and be ninjas.
Skip has had a busy year, breaking the world record for consecutive double under crosses in March, and then taking the skipping ninja show tour around schools in the UK across June and July.
Read: Former Hills Academy pupil returns to school to smash world skipping record
Now, the former Hills Academy, Newnham and Mark Rutherford pupil has swapped British soil for his children’s motherland, inspiring a new continent to pick up a rope and start skipping.
Skip’s Zimbabwean born wife, Natasha, their two young children and other family members returned to Harare for a family holiday, with Skip taking the opportunity to do what he does best, and get children jumping, skipping, and turning them into ninjas.
Natasha and her family grew up in Glenview, Harare, which houses nine primary schools, all with a school capacity of between 1,000 and 2,000 pupils each.
Visiting Glenview Primary Four, Skip delivered an African style performance, pumping out afro beats and using an African style ninja suit, much to the delight of the students.
Skip’s company, ‘The Skipping Ninja’, also donated ropes to the school and gave out prizes to children of ninja head bands, backpacks and hats for completing challenges along the way.
“It was incredible to visit and inspire the children, they gave such a fantastic response in the show and loved the African vibes,” said Skip following his African adventure.
“I hope the children took a lot away from the event and continue to use the free ropes we have provided!
“Not only was it brilliant to work with all of the children, it was also amazing for my wife and children to see the workshop in action for the first time ever.
“After they listened to me talk non stop about skipping ropes, ninja suits, world records and our visits to hundreds and hundreds of schools in the UK, they finally got to see what I have been going on about all these years.
“It was particularly a good experience for our four-year old, Azriyah, who soaked up the atmosphere, and our one-year old, Zayelle who was not far behind.”
For now, Skip returns to the UK to prepare for the autumn school tour, but this for sure wont be the last international school he visits with more planned in the near future.
Where will the skipping ninja pop up next? For more info visit www.skipping.ninja.
