Northern Ireland Does The Daily Mile Santa Run Friday 3rd December 2021

The Daily Mile Network (NI) in partnership with Daily Mile Foundation are hosting A Daily Mile Santa Run day in schools & early years settings across social media, to get children in Northern Ireland active together at the same time on Friday 3^rd December 2021.

“Northern Ireland Does The Daily Mile Santa Run” is a virtual mass participation event across all Northern Ireland primary and early years settings. On the 3^rd December 2021, schools and early years settings around the country, will run their Daily Mile Santa Run virtually, together in an effort to raise awareness for children’s mental health and wellbeing.

The Daily Mile, currently has over 3 million children running a daily mile across 12,000 schools in 80 countries but this is the first national Santa Run event of its kind. The hope is to encourage more schools and early years settings to take up the Daily Mile.

The Daily Mile is a transformative initiative where children run, jog, wheel or walk for fifteen minutes every day, in which time, most children will average a mile or more. The initiative has enjoyed phenomenal success since it was started by then Headteacher Elaine Wyllie just eight years ago at a single primary school in Stirling. Today 3 million children worldwide are now running a mile a day.

The Daily Mile Network NI co-chair and Stranmillis University College Lecturer Dr Brenda McKay-Redmond is encouraging schools to sign up to “Northern Ireland does The Daily Mile Santa Run”. “Over 390 schools in Northern Ireland have signed up to The Daily Mile and now that we have children back in schools, we want to remind and encourage schools to continue to participate in The Daily Mile Santa Run. There will be a lovely gift also for the 1^st, and every 25^th school thereafter that signs up to the Santa Run!

Fifteen minutes of exercise, jogging or walking, whilst outside when it is safe to do so, can lead to everyone becoming happier, fitter and stronger. Self-esteem, wellbeing and satisfaction can also improve mental health, so let’s keep our hearts and minds healthy by having fun, fitness and freedom in the fresh air, by continuing to love The Daily Mile Santa Run.”

Schools can register for free Northern Ireland Does The Daily Mile Santa Run Registration, Fri 3 Dec 2021 at 09:00 | Eventbrite  and will receive a fun, downloadable Daily Mile Santa resource pack and certificate after the event.

For more information on The Daily Mile itself, please visit: https://thedailymile.co.uk/