Primary schools in Hull get pupils ‘moving for the better’ with The Daily Mile
ADVERTORIAL
Health and wellbeing initiative The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS, is having a profound impact on children across the globe – and most recently, in schools based in Hull and East Yorkshire.
Additional support from partners INEOS Acetyls has resulted in increased buy-in from schools with over 21,000 children across 60 schools from the Hull and East Riding area taking part in The Daily Mile each day.
Considered the third most deprived local authority [out of 326] in England alone, there has been a huge drive from local governing bodies to ‘Get Hull Active’.
Physical Health England estimates the total cost of physical inactivity has cost Hull approximately £35m a year, with 38 per cent of Hull’s children leaving primary school overweight or obese.
At its core, The Daily Mile is a social physical activity, where children run, jog, wheel, or walk for 15 minutes at their own pace, in the fresh air with their teachers and classmates. The initiative improves the physical, social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing of children – regardless of age, ability, or personal circumstances. It does not require special equipment or kit, and it is free.
From its humble beginning in 2012, when founder Elaine Wyllie was headteacher at St Ninians Primary School in Stirling, Scotland, the health and wellbeing initiative has grown, with the backing and support from INEOS, with an uptake of four million children worldwide across 18,600 schools and early years settings in over 90 countries.
Now a Trustee of The Daily Mile Foundation, Elaine says the growth of The Daily Mile boils down to the backing from INEOS founder and Chairman, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
“Jim is passionate about children’s fitness and fitness in general,” she said. “He liked the idea that the Daily Mile was for everyone. It’s about all children and he had the vision to see it could be global.
“It’s amazing how successful it’s become and I’m extremely proud.”
The Daily Mile plans to celebrate this uptake with an event at East Park on Friday, October 6 – The Daily Mile GO Run For Fun. The event is a one mile fun run to thank the schools participating in The Daily Mile, and to further promote the initiative .
If you want your school to be involved, or for more information about The Daily Mile, click here.