Tag: Elaine Wyllie MBE

The Daily Mile launches global vision for the next 10 years

● The Daily Mile has set out its ambition to reach 10 million children by 2032 at an event today at Scotland House in Birmingham during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

● The event was to celebrate the 10th Birthday of the children’s health initiative, which started from a single school in Stirling in 2012 and now reaches over 3 million children around the world. 

● Double Commonwealth Champion Colin Jackson CBE, Scottish Government Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport Maree Todd, Founder of The Daily Mile Elaine Wyllie MBE, and professors from Edinburgh & Stirling Universities spoke on the panel.

 ● The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS, is a transformative initiative where children run, jog, wheel or walk for fifteen minutes every day, improving the health, happiness and wellbeing of millions of children

The Daily Mile has laid out its ambition for the next 10 years at an event with the Scottish Government at Scotland House, University College Birmingham during the 2022 Commonwealth Games. 

While celebrating the tremendous growth The Daily Mile has experienced since its inception 10 years ago, the event set out the goal to improve the wellbeing of 10 million children around the world by 2032. 

Daily Mile Ambassador, Double Commonwealth Champion, World Champion and Olympian, Colin Jackson CBE chaired the event at Scotland House, University College Birmingham.

VIPs in attendance were Scottish Government Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport Maree Todd MSP, Founder of The Daily Mile Elaine Wyllie MBE, CBiol MRSB Associate Professor Epigenetics, Genetics and Physical Activity, Deputy Associate Dean for Research University of Stirling Dr Colin N Moran, and Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology The University of Edinburgh Dr Josie Booth. 

Guests heard directly from the Scottish Government about Scotland’s ongoing commitment to growing The Daily Mile initiative. There was discussion about the positive impact The Daily Mile has on wellbeing and the most recent research and first-hand accounts from local teachers and pupils as well as the ambition to have more children take part across the UK and around the world. 

Starting from just a single school in Stirling, there are now 3 million children in more than 14,000 schools taking part thanks to teachers and partners in 87 countries around the world. 

More than 2,351,000 children in 9,700+ schools in the UK are signed up to The Daily Mile as more and more schools are joining every day. 

The Daily Mile improves academic performance, physical and mental health, and ironically, even kids who have never exercised before love taking part, become fitter and more engaged with sport and P.E.

Elaine Wyllie MBE, Founder of The Daily Mile, says: “It is amazing to come together today with a successful group of former athletes, leaders and health professionals to lay out our ambition to see every child enjoy the benefits of The Daily Mile.

“Multiple scientific studies have shown that The Daily Mile improves fitness, allows teachers to develop trusted relationships with students, children achieve more at school and report feeling calmer and happier with better focus and mental wellbeing. We want to get 10 million children around the world doing The Daily Mile by 2032 and together we will make this happen.” 

Colin Jackson CBE, Double Commonwealth Champion, World Champion and Olympian, says: “I am delighted to be here in Birmingham supporting The Daily Mile and celebrating its 10 years.

“The Daily Mile has made a significant impact on children’s wellbeing around the world. I am very proud to be associated with the programme and I am sure it will continue to inspire young people to maintain a healthy lifestyle in and out of school.”

335,000 children worldwide help The Daily Mile to celebrate its 10th birthday today

  • The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS, is today celebrating its 10th Birthday with a huge global event, bringing together 335,000 children across the globe.
  • At an in-person event today in Dundee, Scotland, over 800 children participated in The Daily Mile together. 
  • While at the same time, a global virtual event took place with 1,340 partner schools – 335,000 children across Europe, U.S., Africa, India taking part in The Daily Mile.
  • The Daily Mile is a transformative initiative where children run, jog, wheel or walk for fifteen minutes every day, improving the health, happiness and wellbeing of millions of children.
  • Elaine Wyllie, Founder of The Daily Mile, says: “We want to get as many children around the world doing The Daily Mile as possible, so the fact that we’ve been able to do this mass global event with thousands of schools to celebrate our 10th Birthday is a real testament to the enthusiasm behind the initiative and the positive benefits that The Daily Mile has on children’s physical, mental and social health.”

The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS, today celebrated its 10th Birthday with a huge global event that was designed to get as many children and primary schools as possible around the world moving on the same day. 

In Dundee over 800 children took part in what was the largest ever mass Daily Mile, in the grounds of a transformed Baxter Park that included a stage, music and guest speakers. The children came from local primary and SEN schools across Dundee. 

Guests at Baxter Park included The Daily Mile founder Elaine Wyllie MBE, Public Health Minister Maree Todd, Team Scotland and GB Hockey Player Charlotte Watson, Scotland and GB Team middle distance runner Kane Elliott, GB Paralympian Wheelchair Curler Aileen Nelson as well as other Daily Mile ambassadors. 

At the same time, 335,000 children around the world took part in a virtual event – across 1,340 schools in 21 countries from Scotland to New Zealand. Marking the world’s largest Daily Mile event. 

The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS, is a transformative initiative where children run, jog wheel or walk for fifteen minutes every day in school, in which time, most people will average a mile or more.

The initiative has enjoyed phenomenal success since it was started by then Headteacher Elaine Wyllie just ten years ago at a single primary school in Stirling, Scotland. Today over 3 million children across 14,000 schools in 87 countries globally are now running The Daily Mile. 

The initiative believes there is more to be done if we are to provide the opportunity of good health and well-being to all children, wherever they are in the world and its aim for the next ten years is to significantly increase the number of children that are able to enjoy The Daily Mile. 

Elaine Wyllie MBE, Founder of The Daily Mile says: “We are so excited to celebrate 10 amazing years of The Daily Mile – what an incredible journey it has been so far, starting from just a simple idea at my school in Scotland to now an essential part of the day in thousands of schools around the world. 

“Multiple scientific studies continue to show The Daily Mile improves children’s physical, mental and social health as well as their engagement at school – and today’s event has been a fantastic way to celebrate all we have achieved, thanks to the incredible children, teachers, schools and partners we have worked with other the years who champion our ideals and support our ambition to see every child enjoy the benefits of The Daily Mile.”

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Founder & CEO of INEOS, comments: “INEOS has supported the Daily Mile for years because it’s a free, simple and effective way to improve children’s physical and mental wellbeing.

“It has been a natural fit for us to work with an initiative that is so passionate about helping more children enjoy exercise more often, and we look forward to its success as it continues to transform more lives around the world.” 

Public Health Minister, Maree Todd, said: “I am passionate about the many physical, mental and social benefits the Daily Mile brings and am delighted that this initiative, born in Scotland, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Dundee. 

“As school children from across the world come together to take part in the Daily Mile celebrations I look forward to seeing the impact of this simple and free initiative. I give my thanks to all the school teachers and those involved in providing their communities with the opportunity and support for children to be active each day.

“I am committed to Scotland becoming a Daily Mile Nation and myself really enjoy taking part. Over and above the health benefits it also gives me the opportunity to connect with nature, explore my local environment and meet new people along the way.

“I would encourage everyone across the world to join in and take part in the Daily Mile to experience these fantastic benefits.”