Sir Mo Farah popped into an Edmonton school after it won a competition for taking part in The Daily Mile.
Quadruple Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah got a hero’s welcome when he visited St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary School to join pupils on a jog round their playground.
The school in Hertford Road, Edmonton, won a visit from the track star after winning a competition organised by London Marathon Events for schools participating in The Daily Mile initiative- which aims to ensure children get regular exercise every day.
Sir Mo answered questions from pupils during a special assembly before joining each year group for a run around their playground and posing for photographs.
He said: “It’s nice to be part of the kid’s activities and do The Daily Mile run with them. It’s important that people like me encourage schools to do The Daily Mile so that children can stay active.
“It’s really important that children get into a good daily routine, so they can do regular exercise. We also want to encourage children to eat well, and introduce them to the principles of nutrition so they can live a healthy lifestyle.”
So far more than 40 schools in Enfield have signed up for The Daily Mile – which is supported by Enfield Council – which encourages pupils to spend 15 minutes per day running or jogging and getting their hearts pumping in a bid to tackle some of the health issues in the borough. There are no set up costs, no training is required for teachers and the focus is on having fun in a non-competitive and social environment.
Cllr Rick Jewell, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “We’re delighted Sir Mo Farah has visited the borough today, it’s a great boost for the children and reflects all the hard work that has taken place to ensuring as many schools as possible are signed up for The Daily Mile.
“Enfield Council absolutely is committed to working with schools to encourage young people to adopt healthy lifestyles – good eating and exercise-at a young age so we are fully supportive of The Daily Mile. It’s a great way to increase physical activity and get them into good habits they’ll retain throughout their lives.
“Tackling health inequality in our borough is a key priority for Enfield Council and working with our schools is vital. Such initiatives will not only help children’s health but will boost their concentration levels and mental health. It’s sociable, totally inclusive and incredibly simple. I would encourage all of Enfield’s schools to get involved and there is nothing to stop adults from getting involved too, helping us move to a healthier Enfield.”
Elaine Wyllie, Founder of The Daily Mile said: “It's fantastic to see so many happy children running alongside their hero, Sir Mo Farah. We're delighted that Sir Mo has continued to be an Ambassador for the initiative and look forward to seeing even more schools signing up to The Daily Mile."
Enfield Council is also working with the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation to see how The Daily Mile can be embedded into the school day.
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