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England Athletics partners with The Daily Mile

England Athletics – as well as UK Athletics, Athletics Northern Ireland, Scottish Athletics and Welsh Athletics – has today (Thursday 23 September) entered into an exciting new partnership with The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS.

These partnerships emphasise a shared commitment from the organisations across the UK, helping to demonstrate the importance that physical activity plays in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. The union will help bring ambassadors together, from Olympic and Paralympic athletes to key people from the athletics community – inspiring both young people and teachers to get involved and become a part of The Daily Mile community.

Chris Jones, England Athletics CEO, said:

“England Athletics is delighted to partner with The Daily Mile during this important period as we work collectively to encourage more young people in schools across the UK to run, jump, and throw. Athleticism is the foundation of physical literacy and provides young people with the building blocks to lead a lasting healthy and active lifestyle. As we continue to recover from the pandemic we will work closely together as partners to develop the physical and mental health of young people and to embed athletics in schools for all young people of all backgrounds and abilities as the preferred accessible activity of choice.”

The Daily Mile is a transformative initiative where children run, jog, wheel or walk for fifteen minutes every day. The initiative has enjoyed phenomenal success since it was started by Elaine Wyllie MBE eight years ago when she was headteacher at a primary school in Stirling.

“I’m delighted that we will be working together with UKA and the Home Nations. This is an exciting new partnership for The Daily Mile working with leading governing bodies to promote the physical and mental health benefits of The Daily Mile. I am particularly excited about a focus on inclusion and ensuring children with a disability are provided with the opportunity to participate. It is important to me that irrespective of age, ability or background The Daily Mile is accessible to all and is fun for all. This partnership will help us deliver this ambition.”

The Daily Mile and England Athletics are also delighted to have the support of Team GB’s Alexandra Bell, Olympic 800m finalist at the Tokyo Games.

“Initiatives like the Daily Mile which encourages children and other youngsters to get active are brilliant not just because of the benefits of regular exercise and what it brings on the physical health but also it improves their mental health and wellbeing too.”

Sport and physical activity have an important role to play when discussing mental and physical wellbeing, both which have suffered immensely during the last 18 months. As the country continues to respond to the challenges and effects of the pandemic, it’s crucial to appreciate the role of this in the long-term recovery of the virus.

Collaborative working is at the forefront of this partnership between The Daily Mile and England Athletics. The bringing together of these teams will result in a greater focus on physical activity and sport, as part of a national initiative towards positive health and wellbeing for primary aged children.

Inclusivity and accessibility has always been at the heart of The Daily Mile - getting young people involved regardless of ability. The Daily Mile and England Athletics are committed to supporting schools and teachers in providing opportunities for children with a disability to participate, so ensure they’re able to enjoy all of the benefits of physical activity. The focus is always on the child’s ability, and appropriate adjustments or modifications can be made to ensure a positive experience.

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