18 Aug 2016
Sugar levy money should go towards physical activity schemes outside school, says Tanni Grey-Thompson
BY Matthew Campelli
The hundreds of millions of pounds the government is expecting to generate as a result of its soft drinks sugar levy should be pumped into physical activity initiatives outside schools as well as within them, according to Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
Launched earlier today (18 August), the government’s obesity strategy set out its plan for physical activity within schools, encompassing a recommendation of 30 minutes of dedicated time every day, funded by the levy.
The levy – which will be applied to all soft drinks with a certain amount of sugar – is expected to generate £520m (US$684.6m, €604.9m) for the Treasury.
However, ukactive chair Grey-Thompson stressed that while it was “encouraging” that schools were being encouraged to promote physical activity, with Ofsted monitoring progress, a slice of the fund should be earmarked for initiatives during the school holidays.
“Funding from the soft drinks levy being used beyond the school gates to offer accessible physical activity sessions over holiday periods,” was one “practical” recommendation put forward by the former Paralympian.
She added: “Our research shows that children are losing around 80 per cent of the fitness they build up during the school year due to inactive summer holidays.”
Grey-Thompson also recommended the rollout of “fitness measurement programmes” for primary school children, which would allow schools to “safeguard children who are at risk of ill health due to their fitness levels”.
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