THE three Rs -- Running, Research and Reaching-out to other nations -- are being drawn up in a Commonwealth Games educational package for Bolton children.

The package is being created by St Joseph's RC High and Sports College in Horwich and will be available to other schools throughout the borough by September.

The accent will be on building a greater knowledge and understanding of other countries in the Commonwealth during the countdown to the Manchester 2002 Games, which include badminton and cycling in Bolton. But it will not be all work and no play.

Mini-Commonwealth Games competitions, including many minority sports and also events for disabled children, are being planned for the run up to the Games.

The project, which is being backed by Bolton Council, aims to encourage every child in Bolton to widen their knowledge of the world, through geography, studying such topics as human rights and democracy, leisure and

tourism, art, and music.

Children will be encouraged to use information and communications technology to forge links with schools overseas. St Joseph's pupils are linked via the internet to Mazabuka Girls' High School in Zambia.

The link began two months ago when a priest from Zambia was on a study visit to St Mary's RC Church, Euxton, near Chorley where St Joseph's head Mr Leo Conley attends.

The plan now is for each school in the borough to be allocated a Commonwealth country which they can study and establish internet contact.

Cllr John Byrne, Bolton Council's Executive Member for Culture, said: "The Games will provide the perfect opportunity for children throughout the borough to increase their knowledge of the world and forge new links.

"St Joseph's is just a short distance from the new Bolton Arena where the Commonwealth Games badminton action will take place. It has sports college status and the expertise to make this project a huge success."