It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at St Brigid’s Primary School

St Brigid’s Primary School in Downpatrick got into the festive spirit by taking part in the Daily Mile Santa Run, complete with Christmas jumpers.

All schools in Northern Ireland were encouraged to take part in The Daily Mile Santa Run on Friday 6^th December. The Daily Mile can be done alongside the Active School Travel (AST) programme which is funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and Department for Infrastructure, and delivered by Sustrans.

Dr Hannah McCourt, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager with the PHA, said: “St Brigid’s Primary School really went all out for their Daily Mile Santa Run this year. No better way to get into the Christmas spirit!

“The Daily Mile challenge offers a fun and interactive way for children to get moving more and incorporate physical activity into their daily routine. Being physically active helps to build strong bones, muscles and a healthy heart, supports the development of social skills, and encourages a sense of wellbeing. It also benefits children’s mental health, so it really does have a wide range of benefits.”

Dolores Miller, Principal at St Brigid’s Primary School, said: “We have been taking part in the Daily Mile challenge for a number of years now and we always look forward to our Santa Run, it really helps us get into the Christmas spirit.

“Doing challenges like this is good for our children, it makes getting outside even on cold days enjoyable and we all reap the benefits of being physically active. We find it really beneficial not only for our pupils’ physical wellbeing but their mental wellbeing too. We would highly recommend the Daily Mile challenge to other schools.”

Speaking about the Daily Mile, Dr Brenda McKay-Redmond, Co-Chair of The Daily Mile Network, said:

"The ethos of The Daily Mile is for physical activity to be social, non-competitive and fun. It encourages children to be aware of their health and aims for inclusiveness for every child, regardless of age or ability. Increasing physical activity levels for all children in Northern Ireland is critical and we are committed to supporting the implementation of The Daily Mile across the country and creating an evidence base that is relative to Northern Ireland.”

Dr McCourt concluded: “The PHA would encourage as many families and schools as possible across Northern Ireland to get involved in the Daily Mile programme this year. It’s important that children are introduced to a culture of being active from an early age as it is something that will stay with them and benefit them throughout their lives.”

To find out more about The Daily Mile, visit www.thedailymile.co.uk

For more tips and advice on getting active, visit www.ChooseToLiveBetter.com