New Walk Once a Week campaign encourages exercise for kids
Date: 27/01/2010 / Category: Indoor play for schools and groups
The Department of Health is encouraging exercise for kids by funding a campaign to get children and their parents to walk to school.
Some £800,000 is to be given to the Living Streets group's Walk Once a Week scheme, under which children who walk to school are rewarded with collectable badges.
Tony Armstrong, chief executive of Living Streets, said that he hopes the incentives will encourage children to exercise more.
"We all know that child obesity is a really big problem and walking to school is one of the easiest ways of getting in some exercise both for kids, and also for parents," he added.
Over 900 schools are to take part in the scheme, with a focus on the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Tyne and Wear - areas where the number of overweight and obese children is higher.
According to the NHS, children should take part in 60 minutes of fitness activites for kids each day, which can include walking and active play at an indoor soft play centre.
Posted by Michael Paige
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