Merseyrail to support 4 more local charities

MERSEYRAIL has announced the 4 charities it will be supporting for the next 2 years through events, promotions, and network wide collections.

Every 2 years, employees from the train operating company help pick 4 charities based in the Liverpool City Region to support. Over the last 2 years, more than £100,000 has been raised for:- The Paper Cup Project, Tam O'Shanter Urban Farm, KIND, and Sefton Women's and Children's Aid.

Now Merseyrail has announced the charities that will be supported over the next 2 years, which have been chosen after being nominated by staff across the network. They are Centre 56, Rescue Me Animal Sanctuary, Blackburne House and Parkinson's Wirral.

Sally Ralston BEM, Community Involvement Manager at Merseyrail said:- "We are delighted to be joining forces with these superb charities and helping them in the vital work they do throughout the Liverpool City Region. Thanks to the generosity of our customers and staff we have helped to support many charities over the last 20 years, and we're delighted to be carrying on this good work with these 4 organisations for the next 2 years."

Centre 56 is a domestic abuse charity in the heart of North Liverpool who provide childcare, information and support for families and children who have suffered, or are at risk of, domestic abuse or a crisis situation.

Rescue Me Animal Sanctuary, rescue and rehome animals in the Merseyside area. All animals are neutered, microchipped and treated for fleas and worms prior to homing.

Blackburne House supports the development of local; and often vulnerable; women. With a core focus on education, the charity enables women to learn and grow in a safe environment.

Parkinson's Wirral offers friendship and support locally to people with Parkinson's, their families, and carers.

All 4 charities will be the focus of support, fundraising efforts and events by the community involvement team at Merseyrail.

Neil Grabham, Managing Director of Merseyrail, said:- "I'm so proud of the incredible charity work that has been a hallmark of Merseyrail staff and customers over the years. It's vitally important to us that Merseyrail contributes to supporting the Liverpool City Region and helping it remain as a wonderful place to live. We'll be working closely with our new official charity partners over the next 2 years on some exciting and fun events, and I know that Merseyrail customers will give us their usual superb support."

Councils ramp up the pace as Daily Mile reaches significant milestone

A new landmark in the Daily Mile scheme in England has been reached as Local Government Association (LGA) analysis published shows that every Council in the country has a School participating in The Daily Mile.

With the support of their local Councils, Active Partnerships and Sport England, children in over 8,000 Primary Schools and early years settings in England are getting active for 15 minutes a day.

Over 40 per cent of primary Schools in 152 Council areas have signed up for The Daily Mile, marking a significant stride in promoting physical health and wellbeing among children.

The Daily Mile was started by former Head Teacher Elaine Wyllie MBE in 2012 and encourages children to run, wheel or walk for 15 minutes. It gets children outside and active with their friends and teachers, refreshed for further learning. The Daily Mile is simple, free, fun and fits in the School day easily.

The LGA's analysis shows that:-

• Southend on Sea has the highest proportion of educational settings for:- 0 to 11 year olds signed up to The Daily Mile (97%), followed by Southwark (90%) and Tower Hamlets (81%).
  

• Essex has the highest number of settings participating in The Daily Mile (370), followed by Hertfordshire (326) and Kent (296).
  

• 52.5% of educational settings for children aged:- 0 to 11 are signed up in London, followed by the North West (47.9%) and the east of England (45.9%)
  

• Evidence has shown The Daily Mile has a positive impact on physical, mental, and social health of children as well as supporting improved focus in class.
  

• Studies collected by the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has found that participation in initiatives like The Daily Mile support positive classroom behaviour, improved self-esteem, and an increase in fitness levels among children.
  

• In England, the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) has identified increasing numbers of overweight and obese children, particular in areas with higher levels of deprivation.
  

• The Daily Mile provides a practical example of where Schools and local Council public health teams can work together to help children get active and help improve their wellbeing.

Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Board said:- "This new data shows that England is creating more opportunities for our children and young people to be active. Thanks to the support of Councils, over 8000 primary Schools and early years settings are participating in The Daily Mile, with Schools from Cornwall up to Northumberland hosting the initiative. We know that The Daily Mile is a vitally important tool in tackling physical inactivity and obesity in our local communities. We want England to become a nation where more people are more active, more often. The benefits of instilling these habits early are plain to see. Councils are committed to improving, supporting, and promoting the health and wellbeing of all our children and young people."

Elaine Wyllie MBE, Founder of The Daily Mile said:- "I am very proud of what The Daily Mile has achieved since it was established in 2012 and I am excited about our future ambitions. We have had the pleasure of working with many Schools, teachers, and likeminded partners such as the LGA, who have supported us in reaching 2 million children in England. I have always believed The Daily Mile can have a positive and sustainable impact on our children's health and wellbeing. There really has never been a more important time to work collectively to create opportunities for children to be more physically active, helping to improve physical, mental, and social health."