ITV, STV, Sky And INEOS Join Forces

ITV, STV, Sky and INEOS have joined forces to tackle low levels of physical activity in children across the UK.

Backing a national TV campaign they are encouraging schools to sign up to The Daily Mile, to give more children a healthy start in life and support improved attainment in class.

The advertising campaign titled 'Thrive' has launched. It highlights the positive impact that The Daily Mile is having on children’s physical and mental wellbeing, helping them to thrive in school.

According to the Youth Sport Trust (YST), there is a growing concern over physical inactivity in children across the UK. This concern is reflected by 77% of parents who claim their children are not getting enough physical activity – yet under half of those parents (43%) are aware that children need at least 60-minutes of physical activity every day.

The UK government recently launched 'Get Active: A Strategy for the Future of Sport and Physical Activity', highlighting that more than 50% of children fail to do an average of 60-minutes of physical activity a day. The strategy promoted the Daily Mile as an example of a great initiative for schools and trusts to help their pupils meet the 60-minute recommendation.

The 'Thrive' advert is supported by research from the Universities of Stirling, Edinburgh and Highlands & Islands which found that The Daily Mile significantly improves a child’s mood, concentration and memory - enhancing their ability to learn.

Founder of The Daily Mile, Elaine Wyllie MBE, said: "There is now more awareness than ever of the lack of children’s physical activity: kids simply aren’t doing enough exercise. So, we as a country need to act, and fast. Thank you to ITV, STV, Sky and INEOS for creating this campaign which I hope will raise awareness of The Daily Mile."

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