We’re backing The Daily Mile campaign – and urge primary schools to join

Thursday 22nd April 2021

Why we are backing the Daily Mile Nation Strategy

scottishathletics are working in partnership with the Daily Mile to try and get more children moving for their physical, mental and social health.

And that’s why we’ve backed a new campaign by the programme this spring to encourage as many primary schools around Scotland to sign-up and celebrate the positive benefits of regular exercise.

We see The Daily Mile as a great opportunity for children to enjoy running, after a challenging year, it’s more important than ever to find ways to maintain children’s physical health and mental well-being. The more children that have a positive experience will be fundamental to growing our athletics community.

So we are now asking schools to register for The Daily Mile and take part in our 6-week challenge which is linked to the 2021 Olympics – ‘Travel to Tokyo’.

All registered schools will receive a free, downloadable pack with fun and easy to use resources. The challenge will finish with a ‘Scotland Does The Daily Mile‘ nationwide virtual event taking place on Friday 18 June.

Sign-up here to help us get Scotland moving

Colin Hutchison . . . our chief executive believes partnership with the Daily Mile can be important for our sport (photo by Bobby Gavin)

The Daily Mile website

Established in Scotland in 2012 as a school-based programme, The Daily Mile sees children jog, run, walk or wheel at their own pace for 15 minutes.

The activities take place a minimum of three times a week with the aim of improving health and wellbeing.

‘Supporting this project and working in partnership with the Daily Mile Foundation is important to us,’ said our chief executive, Colin Hutchison.

‘The vision is to increase opportunities across Scotland to participate and fundamentally that’s helpful in the context of trying to grow athletics and running in Scotland.

‘Further down the line I would love to see the partnership developing into links between Daily Mile organisations and our local clubs and running groups.

‘We are already exploring how to put our clubs in touch with primary schools in their community who are signed up for the Daily Mile and will encourage them to make contact with each other.’

The Daily Mile is now a global success and has been adopted by 11,700+ schools and nurseries in 79 different countries. Scotland has seen huge growth with 973 schools and education settings taking part.