Press Release: Welsh Ministers call on schools to take up The Daily Mile

Welsh Ministers call on schools take up The Daily Mile

  • In partnership with the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales, The Daily Mile Foundation today announces the launch of The Daily Mile Cymru.
  • Minister for Social Services and Public Health, Rebecca Evans and Education Secretary Kirsty Williams have called on schools to take up the initiative to improve pupils’ health and wellbeing across the country.
  • Minister for Social Services and Public Health, Rebecca Evans, said: We want to ensure children across Wales have good physical, emotional and social health and wellbeing. This is why we are encouraging to schools to take part in innovative schemes to help children be more active, such as The Daily Mile. The initiative builds upon the good work already taking place throughout Wales, such as the Welsh Network of Health Schools Scheme.
  • Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams, said: Creating more fun opportunities for young people to get moving is key to ensuring they achieve the recommended 60 minutes a day of physical activity.  Engaging with The Daily Mile will support primary schools to implement the new curriculum, which puts a focus on making physical activity a more routine part of the school day.” 
  • The Daily Mile Founder Elaine Wyllie added, I am delighted to support the Welsh Government’s commitment to provide every child with the opportunity to do a Daily Mile. It is down to us, as responsible adults, to affect the change that will improve not only the physical fitness, but the wider health and wellbeing of our children for years to come.

Primary schools across the country have been called on to get fit with The Daily Mile initiative- a simple programme that gets children walking, jogging or running for 15 minutes each day. The Daily Mile is easy to implement, it is fun for everyone involved and crucially – it is free for schools to implement. Recent data has proven to benefits children’s wider health and wellbeing in addition to their physical fitness.

Welsh Minister for Social Services and Public Health, Rebecca Evans, and Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams, have today written to headteachers across the country to encourage them to take up The Daily Mile. Speaking of their commitment to improve the physical activity levels of primary-aged children and young people in Wales, Rebecca Evans said: “We want to ensure children across Wales are fit for life. The Daily Mile gives them good physical, emotional and social wellbeing.”

“This is why we are encouraging schools to take part in innovative schemes to help children be more active, such as The Daily Mile. The initiative builds upon the good work already taking place throughout Wales, such as the Welsh Network of Health Schools Scheme.”

With over 1,600 UK schools already taking part in the initiative, The Daily Mile Foundation looks forward to seeing even more Welsh schools take up the government’s challenge and take steps towards a healthier, happier future.

Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams, said: “Creating more fun opportunities for young people to get moving is key to ensuring they achieve the recommended 60 minutes a day of physical activity.”

“Engaging with The Daily Mile will support primary schools to implement the new curriculum, which puts a focus on making physical activity a more routine part of the school day,” she added.

In addition to the obvious health and fitness benefits that result from daily physical activity, recent research has further revealed that doing a Daily Mile improves behaviour in class, and attainment. Teachers report that children concentrate better in class, and come back from their Daily Mile refreshed and ready to learn, whilst parents comment that their children are eating and sleeping better.

Commenting on today’s news, Founder of The Daily Mile, Elaine Wyllie, has said: “I am delighted to support the Welsh Government’s commitment to provide every child with the opportunity to do a Daily Mile. The UK is facing our largest public health crisis yet, with a fifth of reception children, and a shocking third of 10-11 year olds, deemed overweight or obese. It is down to us, as responsible adults, to affect the change that will improve, not only the physical fitness, but the wider health and wellbeing of our children for years to come.”

Interested schools are encouraged to visit www.thedailymile.cymru to find out more about the initiative, and access a range of free downloadable resources in English and Welsh.

ENDS.


 

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