Press Release: The Daily Mile founder receives MBE for her services to the fitness of children

THE DAILY MILE FOUNDER RECEIVES MBE FOR HER SERVICES TO THE FITNESS OF CHILDREN

  • The Daily Mile’s Founder, Elaine Wyllie, has received an MBE for ‘Services to the fitness of children’ in the New Year’s Honours list. Speaking at Buckingham Palace today, she said: ““In just a year, we have experienced monumental growth and now have 1.75 million children across 61 countries quite literally taking steps towards a healthier future with The Daily Mile.”
  • In just one year, The Daily Mile has grown by 150% with 1.75 million children now running for 15 minutes every day.
  • Over 5,000 UK schools and a further 3,000 schools across 61 countries now take part in The Daily Mile.

Elaine Wyllie, the founder of the well-known children’s fitness initiative, The Daily Mile, has received an MBE for services to the fitness of children as part of the New Year’s Honours list.

The recognition follows an incredible year of growth in which The Daily Mile’s popularity skyrocketed by 150%. Now over 8,200 schools in 61 countries with a total of 1.75 million children signed up to the life changing initiative aiming to make children fit for life. The initiative is now in 1/5th of schools in England, 1/3rd of Welsh schools and half of schools in Scotland.

Just six years ago the initiative was taking place at a single primary school in Stirling. Concerned about the children’s lack of physical fitness, The Daily Mile’s Founder, Elaine Wyllie, decided to get her pupils moving for 15 minutes every day to improve their overall fitness and wellbeing.

The Daily Mile is proven to work. Backed by hard evidence the initiative has been shown to improve children’s fitness, body composition and concentration in class. In the last 12 months it has been included as a key measure in the UK Government’s Childhood Obesity Strategy – which aims to halve all childhood obesity by 2030; it has earned praise from Prime Minister Theresa May and cross-party MPs; and has developed strong partnerships with ITV, Sport England and London Marathon Events.

Speaking at her investiture ceremony, Elaine said: “In just a year, we have experienced monumental growth and now have 1.75 million children across 61 countries quite literally taking steps towards a healthier future with The Daily Mile. I am delighted by the growth but hope this is just the start! Our aim is to provide every child, at every school, the opportunity to experience the benefits of doing The Daily Mile.”

ENDS.

Elaine Wyllie with MBE at Buckingham Palace

 

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