UK's biggest ever kids' fun running campaign off the starting blocks
Children are being encouraged to GO Run For Fun and become part of the UK’s biggest fun running campaign. The UK's newest mass participation running campaign for children was launched in the Olympic borough of Newham by former world record holder and world champion Colin Jackson and Perri Shakes-Drayton last month.
The first GO Run for Fun event was held at the BUPA Great North Mini/Junior Run on Saturday 14th September. Indeed, the Northumberland Athletics Network hosted the very first "Go Run for Fun" pilot for the national campaign (click here to read more).
Building on the legacy of 2012 Olympics and the recent World Athletics Championships, INEOS GO Run For Fun has teamed up with Nova International, the people behind the iconic Great North Run, to deliver a series of large and small running events to encourage grass roots participation and inspire the next generation of sporting talent. In its first year, the aim is that more than 30,000 children aged 5-10 will have taken part in one of the INEOS Go Run For Fun events across all corners of the UK - in England, it's already visited the Great North Run, Bristol and Ipswich, Birmingham and Hampshire and there are plenty more places to visit, including the Great South Run which will host the 1 mile event.
The INEOS GO Run For Fun series is the idea of Jim Ratcliffe, owner of INEOS, one of the UK’s largest manufacturing companies. Jim said:
"I’m passionate about getting as many children running as possible as early as possible. The idea is simple – to get children out of the house having fun. It is not rocket science. Running is the basis of so many great sports. If our children can catch the running bug early, they’re more likely to stick to it, and this can only lead to them having more active and healthier lifestyles in the future."
Now it's the turn of Welsh Olympic swimming hero, David Davies to encourage the kids to get off the couch, give the TV a rest, get active and have fun, regardless of ability at the fun race, part of the Tata Steel Richard Burton 10k Road Race, taking place on the 3rd November in Port Talbot. Davies said:
“It’s great to be part of this exciting new campaign. These fun events which are taking place across the UK, are a great way for kids to get out of the house and have fun with their friends - running. An active and healthy lifestyle is so important and we really must make sure that kids are given the opportunity to get active from an early age, and INEOS GO Run For Fun provides the chance to do just that. Running is simple, kids do it naturally, and it’s fun and good for their longer term development."
Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council Ali Thomas added:
"Local clubs are such an integral part of getting young people involved in sport from the grass roots up and through this campaign, we can all come together to be part of a mass movement to get our future generations active and healthy."
