Encouraging kids to be more active with the Daily Mile!30 Jun

Have you heard about the new Daily Mile fitness initiative in West Cheshire?

The project aims to get primary schoolchildren out of the classroom and their heart rates pumping for 15 minutes a day, with the group walking a mile together. It’s fantastic because not only does it improve their fitness levels, but they get a chance to blow off some steam and clear their minds so they’re more focused when they return to the class room.

In West Cheshire the Daily Mile is being run by a partnership of NHS West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Cheshire West and Chester Council and Active Cheshire, and is funded through a combination of the Starting Well element of the West Cheshire Way and Active Cheshire.

Jane Hopkins, Head Teacher of Shocklach Oviatt CE Primary School has been very impressed with the scheme so far. She said “This has proven to be a wonderful and really popular initiative for our school family. When they head back into the classroom, the children are happy, pink cheeked and refreshed. They’re ready to start working again with renewed vigour and higher concentration levels!”

To support the scheme, this summer we are offering free junior memberships through July and August to the schools in the Daily Mile pilot programme! This gives children the opportunity to swim at any Brio pool, as well as play racquet sports such as Badminton or Squash completely free!

This helps us to maintain the achievements that the Daily Mile campaign has accomplished since it launched at six West Cheshire schools back in March 2016. Our Managing Director, Elly McFahn, said “Daily Mile is a fantastic initiative between Active Cheshire, Cheshire West and Chester Council and the NHS West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group as part of the West Cheshire Way. Even in its short time since its launch there have been positive effects in the pilot schools.”

“It’s so important that we support the Daily Mile programme through the long summer school break and give pupils the opportunity to continue to exercise and keep active at Brio centres. It’s also an opportunity to parents and carers a break, or alternatively to join in on the fun too!”

Active Cheshire Strategic Lead for Education, Duncan Stetterington, says it’s a “simple and effective programme that was improving children’s health and wellbeing for the rest of their lives.”

Find out more about the Daily Mile over at the Active Cheshire website!

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