Hannah Weddell from Mary's Meals in Newcastle
Mary’s Meals has teamed up with the Tesco Great School Run to help provide more hungry children with a brighter future, and the event literally got off to a flying start earlier this week!
Popular TV presenter Helen Skelton joined award-winning athlete Colin Jackson to take to the skies in a helicopter tour around the country, to launch the UK’s biggest fun run for children.
Joined at each stop of the tour by an ambassador from Mary’s Meals, the stars visited four UK regions – Belfast, Newcastle, Birmingham and London – to cheer on hundreds of youngsters from local schools as they completed the two kilometre run.
Over 1.25 million children in total from across the UK will participate in runs between May 8 and July 23. Now in its eighth year, the event and its accompanying education programme encourages children and their parents to get fit and healthy through exercise and healthy eating.
And, as part of the run, the pupils are fundraising for Mary’s Meals, the official charity of the Tesco Great School Run. It is a great way of getting young people active while helping to support children in some of the world’s poorest communities, where hunger and poverty prevent them from getting an education.
Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, Mary’s Meals founder and CEO, said: “We are delighted to be the official charity partner of this year’s Tesco Great School Run. The money raised by kids taking part in fun runs across the country will help Mary’s Meals reach more hungry children, who live in communities where hunger and poverty routinely prevent them from gaining an education. Since it costs us just £10.70 to feed a child for a whole school year, any amount raised can go a long way to making a big difference.”
Colin Jackson and Helen Skelton
Helen Skelton, who is well-known for her role as a Blue Peter presenter, said: “The Tesco Great School Run is a great way to get children excited about running and enjoying sports. It’s fantastic to be involved and to see so many children from the local area coming together and taking part in the fun run.”
Colin Jackson, who has worked with Tesco on the project since its origins, enthused: “Today is all about getting children engaged in exercise, talking about healthy eating and having fun along the way. In a year where sport takes centre stage, it’s great to see kids enthusiastic about learning and taking part in sport and exercise.”
