Children from four Tower Hamlets’ schools teamed up with Bupa employees at the O2 to set a new hopscotch Guinness World Record.
As part of Bupa’s Global Challenge 2011, children from Marion Richardson, Manorfield, Kobi Nazrul and Our Lady’s primary schools set a new Guinness World Record for the most people playing hopscotch simultaneously alongside Bupa chief executive Ray King and Tower Hamlets co-director of public health, Esther Trenchard-Mabere.
The worldwide Bupa initiative aims to get more than 35,000 people moving across the globe during June to raise awareness the benefits of exercise in helping to reduce the risk of developing long term diseases.
Leading provider of healthy lifestyle programmes for children, families and adults in local communities, MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it!) ran sessions on healthy eating during the morning and helped the children warm-up with a series of activities before the world record attempt took place at lunchtime. The world record was set when 358 people – 176 children, 20 teachers and 162 Bupa employees – simultaneously played hopscotch for 10 minutes.
The O2 event is the start of new commitment between Bupa, public health in Tower Hamlets (part of NHS East London and the City), Tower Hamlets council and MEND to work together to reduce the high levels of obesity in the borough. An innovative new partnership between the organisations will launch later in the year with Bupa contributing a broad range of expertise to Tower Hamlets as well as providing funding and volunteers to help deliver MEND’s healthy lifestyle programmes on the ground.
Ray King, chief executive, Bupa, said:
“The Bupa Global Challenge is about getting as many people moving as possible so I’m delighted that so many children from Tower Hamlets’ schools were able to join us today to help set the new world record. We’re now looking forward to working with MEND, the NHS and the local authority in the longer term to support a new community-led approach to healthy living that will make a real difference to people in the area.”
Esther Trenchard-Mabere, said:
“Childhood obesity levels in the borough are amongst the highest in the UK so we are always looking for new ways to tackle the social and environmental barriers to children being active, building on our Healthy Borough programme. Getting involved in the Bupa Global Challenge is a great way for children in Tower Hamlets to learn that being active can be fun and we’re looking forward to working more closely with Bupa and MEND in the months ahead.”
Harry MacMillan, chief executive at MEND said:
“We’re delighted to be working with Tower Hamlets and Bupa to help children and adults in the borough to live healthier lives. MEND’s free healthy lifestyle programmes are based on research and help children reduce their BMI and increase their fitness and self-esteem. We look forward to delivering a full range of our MEND programmes and services in Tower Hamlets, and empowering the community to become fitter, healthier and happier.”
Isobel Cattermole, corporate director for Children Schools and Families at Tower Hamlets Council said:
“Obesity levels have reduced year-on-year among children entering schools in Tower Hamlets. This demonstrates the excellent effort of our schools, the NHS and the local authority in encouraging all children to enjoy staying active and healthy. The World Record has been a great opportunity for the children to get active and have fun at the same time. They can all go back home and say they’ve been involved in making a little bit of history today.”
Bupa’s Global Challenge is helping to keep people well as part of Bupa’s mission to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives.
Source : Bupa
