Press Release: The Mayor of London and Sir Mo Farah back The Daily Mile
THE MAYOR OF LONDON AND SIR MO FARAH BACK THE DAILY MILE.
LONDON BECOMES THE FIRST DAILY MILE CAPITAL CITY IN THE WORLD.
- Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Sir Mo Farah and London Marathon Events today launch a campaign to back The Daily Mile, and encourage primary schools across all 32 London boroughs to take up the health and fitness initiative.
- Mayor of London is putting children’s health firmly on the city’s agenda to become a leader in addressing the huge issue of childhood obesity and inactivity. He is encouraging all schools in London to introduce The Daily Mile.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, will join the founder of The Daily Mile, Elaine Wyllie along with Sir Mo Farah and London Marathon Events as together they encourage all London schools to sign up to The Daily Mile.
London boroughs worryingly make up seven of the ten worst-ranked authorities in England for obesity rates and The Mayor of London and Sir Mo are supporting The Daily Mile, a simple initiative that is able to make a difference.
Support for The Daily Mile health and wellbeing initiative has grown significantly since research findings have shown that children participating in The Daily Mile were significantly healthier than those who did not. The simple health initiative is effective in boosting activity levels and improves overall fitness and body composition.
The initiative, which started life in 2012, was the idea of Elaine Wyllie when she was headteacher of St Ninian’s Primary School in Stirling. Concerned about the lack of physical fitness displayed by the children, Elaine founded the campaign with the simple aim of getting her pupils moving every day to improve their overall fitness and wellbeing.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “Regular exercise is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle and should be part of every child’s life. The Daily Mile is a fantastic initiative which will help children across the capital become more active. I’m proud to support it as part of my Sport Unites programme and I am encouraging every school in London to sign up.”
Elaine Wyllie, founder of The Daily Mile, said: “It is wonderful that London wants to become the first Capital City to back the Daily Mile across all its schools. Already thousands of children across the capital and the UK are establishing healthy fitness habits taking part in The Daily Mile. The support of the Mayor and Sir Mo Farah gives the campaign new urgency and reach to tackle childhood obesity in the capital and I am thrilled that The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and the wonderful Sir Mo Farah are backing the campaign to get kids fit for life across London.”
Sir Mo Farah said: “The Daily Mile is a brilliant and easy way to get kids moving and keeping healthy. I’m a dad of four and I encourage my kids to be active every day. It would be fantastic to see every primary school in London signing up to do The Daily Mile.”
London Marathon Events Ltd is working in partnership with The Daily Mile Foundation to encourage all primary schools in London to take up The Daily Mile.
ENDS.
Media contacts
The Daily Mile: Joseph Wade(+44) 207 384 6980 – (+44) 7758 074 576
London Marathon Events Ltd: Penny Dain (+44) 07799 170433