Competition Draws Attention to Benefits of School Milk

***NEWS RELEASE***

[10.12.12]

Children at Whitchurch Community Playgroup near Cardiff have had a brush with success after winning an art competition organised as part of World School Milk Day celebrations organised by Cool Milk.

The leading school milk supplier invited MPs from across the UK to visit their local school or nursery to act as milk monitor for the day and invited pupils to take part in a drawing competition entitled Why School Milk is Great.

Three winners have been chosen from all of the UK-wide entrants, one of whom is 4-year-old Liam Welton.

Liam has been presented with an art set while the playgroup has received a £100 Early Learning Centre (ELC) voucher.

Julia Keenan, Play Leader of Whitchurch Community Playgroup said: “We were delighted to receive the vouchers for the Early Learning Centre; we are going to use them to enhance our imaginative play area.”

In the UK every child under the age of five is entitled to a free 189ml serving of milk whilst in attendance at any Ofsted or charity registered day care provider. Children over the age of five in primary education are entitled to milk which is subsided by the European Union.

World School Milk Day is organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and is celebrated in over 30 countries around the world.

The day, funded in the UK by Cool Milk, this year took place on 26th September and is aimed at highlighting the importance of drinking milk at school in a fun and educational way.

Cool Milk’s Managing Director John Sedgwick said: “Congratulations to Liam and all the children and staff at Whitchurch Community Playgroup. This year 153 MPs and 156 schools and nurseries from Inverness to St Ives took part in our World School Milk Day celebrations which shows just how vitally important the school milk scheme is.

“Drinking milk at school offers a host of benefits to children. Not only does it provide energy and key nutrients to help them do their best, it also promotes social interaction. A new study by researchers at Bristol University has also found that children who regularly drink milk are physically fitter in old age.”

To see photos of the visits and read comments from the MPs who took part in World School Milk Day 2012 please visit www.worldschoolmilkday.co.uk

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• World School Milk Day is organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and is celebrated in over 30 countries around the world.
• Launched in 2000, the day is used to promote the importance of drinking milk at school to children in a fun and educational way.
• The goal of World School Milk Day is to celebrate school milk on one day of the year at the same time all across the world.

School milk

• Every child under the age of five is entitled to a free 189ml serving of milk whilst at school.
• Milk is a great source of nearly every vitamin and mineral of nutritional importance to humans, especially for children of a young age.
• For the top ten reasons to drink school milk go to www.coolmilk.com/whyschoolmilk

Cool Milk

• Cool Milk is one of the UK’s leading school milk suppliers and works in partnership with local authorities nationwide and serves thousands of children with fresh milk daily.
• Its aim is to provide every child in early years and primary education with the opportunity to drink fresh milk every day.
• The Cool Milk scheme is administration friendly and cost-free, and is designed to make providing school milk quick and simple for schools and nurseries.
• For more information visit www.coolmilk.com

Kate Strawson
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
kate@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @shootingstarpr

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