WORLD CLASS BACKING AT GOLDEN MILE LAUNCH

One of Britain's greatest Olympians has given her backing to groundbreaking fitness campaign The Golden Mile – an initiative which could have the biggest ever impact on fitness levels among the UK’s school children.

Dame Kelly Holmes, who won two gold medals at the 2004 Athens games, has added her name to a long list of supporters - while the country’s biggest selling regional morning newspaper has pledged to offer every school in its region The Golden Mile for free.

Kelly said: "I hope the Golden Mile encourages many more young people to get active - something that really matters to me and my charity the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust. Good luck."

The Premier Sport sponsored Golden Mile is a school walking, jogging or running project which aims to engage every school across the UK to take part to reduce the ongoing challenges of childhood obesity.

Each school marks out a Golden Mile track in the playground or in the school hall, and youngsters will be able to count how many laps they complete during breaks or at lunchtime – with an overall aim of each child completing 50 miles in the academic year.

Their progress will be logged on a specially designed website, which will give individuals, classes and neighbouring schools the chance to compete with each other in the race to tot up the miles. Each child will receive a certificate when they complete 10, 25 and 50 miles.

Getting involved could not be simpler, with registration taking no more than one minute on the website.

Golden Mile packs will then be sent direct to schools. The cost is just £2 per child for the whole year.

The Eastern Daily Press is offering it free of charge to every school-aged child in its readership. EDP editor Peter Waters said: "We share the deep concern that many people have about the future health of our children and grandchildren. Obesity threatens to ruin many young lives.

"That is why we have launched the EDP's Golden Mile, which we believe is a golden opportunity for schools in the EDP area to make a difference to the health and future wellbeing of their children. I would encourage as many schools as possible to sign up, and for all children, parents and teachers to get involved."

Premier Sport chief executive David Batch said: "Very simply, this is the best healthy activity that has ever been on offer to schools. Its simplicity and flexibility mean that it is not a drain on teachers' time, and with all the cross-curricular resources can really be part of the fabric of any school.

"It is so inclusive that all children can participate and a university study found it produced a staggering improvement in fitness levels of children of all ages.

"Couple this with testimony from teachers on behaviour, attendance and academic improvement across schools and Premier Sport had no option other than to help get this to every child it could."