Founder of Daily Mile plan for pupils continues campaign in Yorkshire

THE FOUNDER of an initiative which sees pupils run or walk a mile every day in a bid to improve concentration and combat childhood obesity is visiting Barnsley tomorrow as part of a campaign to roll out the scheme across the town.

After hearing that children were exhausted by the warmup before their weekly PE lesson at a Scottish primary school, headteacher Elaine Wyllie decided to take action.

Now, Mrs Wyllie’s Daily Mile initiative is being run throughout Scotland and Wales, with about half-a-million school children across England also involved.

To support Barnsley Council’s campaign to get all schools delivering the Daily Mile, she has agreed to deliver a presentation to headteachers in the town, highlighting the benefits of the scheme.

The council’s cabinet spokesman for public health, Coun Jim Andrews, said: “It’s important that our campaign has the direct support from Elaine.

“Hopefully her visit and presentation will encourage more Barnsley schools to pledge to the #BarnsleyMile campaign and lead to better levels of concentration in the classroom, as well fitter and healthier children.”

Her visit comes after The Yorkshire Post revealed that childhood obesity is rising to unprecedented levels in the region, with one in three 10 and 11-year-olds now so overweight that it could impact on their health.

Data from NHS Digital showed increased obesity levels in primary schools across the country. As many as one in five children are now categorised as obese when they leave primary school, the figures disclosed.