Whisky, the television, penicillin: These are just some of Scotland’s most well-known innovations and exports. And Scotland’s Public Health Minister Maree Todd thinks the Daily Mile belongs on that list.
Dreamed up in 2012 by former Stirling headteacher Elaine Wyllie, the Daily Mile programme encourages children to be active – running, walking or anything in between – for 15 minutes every day.
This Friday, Mrs Todd and Mrs Wyllie joined more than 100 schoolchildren at Dalneigh Primary School in Inverness as they completed their Daily Mile.
The event at Dalneigh marked Scotland becoming the first official Daily Mile Nation, a recognition of a nationwide commitment to the programme’s goal of keeping children active and healthy.
More than 187,000 students in Scotland are taking part in a daily fifteen minutes of activity. And the pupils’ enthusiasm for the challenge and its benefits were on full display at Dalneigh on Friday.
Mrs Todd and Mrs Wyllie joined Highland Council Executive Chief Officer for Education Nicky Grant and education committee chairman John Finlayson laced up their trainers and joined the kids for their fifteen minutes of fun.
And with the Scottish FA also backing the Daily Mile initiative, it wasn’t long before all eyes were on local football heroes and mascots from Ross County F.C. and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
But even with years of professional training under their belts, the players still found that they could learn some lessons from the energised youngsters.
Benefits beyond fitness
On the surface, the Daily Mile can be seen as an initiative to get kids fit and healthy. But Mrs Todd said that she’s behind the programme because she sees benefits that go much deeper.
“They come back to class and they’re more settled, which is one of the key things about the Daily Mile,” she said. “They’re more able to learn afterwards. It’s not just about getting kids physically fit, mentally well and socialising.
“If you want your kids to read and write better, get them doing the Daily Mile. Their concentration is better, their confidence is better. It’s an amazingly simple concept that is just fantastic.”
Across Scotland’s 32 local authorities, more than half of schools are signed up for the Daily Mile alongside Dalneigh. And the programme is now in over 80 countries around the world.
Put it up there on the list of Scotland’s best exports, she said.
“You’ll have heard of whisky, you’ll have heard of the television, now we’ve got the Daily Mile,” she said. “We all know that, like most of the western world, we are not moving around enough. So making sure to build those habits of physical activity at an early age is really important.”
Friends and fresh air, no matter the weather
And nowhere better than in the Highlands to get out and get active, she said.
“For me as a Highlander, I can’t tell you how delightful it is to celebrate becoming a Daily Mile Nation here in the Highlands with local children.
“Dalneigh is an excellent school that does fabulous work, and Highland Council has a director of education who really gets the importance of physical education.”
And, as the sun gave way to rainclouds and the wind gained speed, she added:
“If you can get out and get active in the Highlands, you can do it anywhere.”
Daily Mile Founder Mrs Wyllie said that inclement weather, as long as it’s safe, is anything but a hindrance for most children.
“They love it! They want to get out in the rain and in the wind and be in the weather. With their friends and the fresh air, they’re thriving.”
It isn’t about running a full mile, she said. The programme is about the time, not the distance. If children are able to be out and be active, at whatever pace suits them, there will always be a sense of accomplishment.
And if the smiles on their faces are anything to go by, she’s absolutely right.
Dalneigh Primary School Daily Mile Gallery
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