Primary school pupils are being encouraged to put on their running shoes for a bit of healthy competition in Southall’s first ever Schools Fun Run.

It will take place at this year’s Southall Community Sports Day on Saturday, 6 July.

The sports day, between 10am-3pm, is an annual event organised by the Southall Community Alliance. This year, it has been backed by the Let’s Go Southall programme, which is funded by Sport England after Ealing Council applied for money to support its healthy living and fitness campaign Get Moving in the town.

It is hoped the fun run will encourage children from all the local primary schools to get involved.

The course will be an officially measured, one-mile course in Spikes Bridge Park.

There will be prizes for individual winners and the Southall school with the most runners will be crowned the Southall School’s Fun Run champions and receive a trophy.

Children who do not attend a Southall school can still take part – as long as they are in years 4, 5 or 6.

‘Get pupils active and enjoying themselves’

The run is being organised by Ealing Half Marathon Legacy, the community arm of the award-winning annual race in Ealing – also endorsed by the council.

Rachel Job, the Legacy’s events and project co-ordinator, said: “The fun run is the first one we’ve done and its free for kids in years 4, 5 and 6 at school. Any child can run but the plan is to encourage some competition between Southall’s primary schools and get pupils active and enjoying themselves.

“The sports day is already a pretty big event but this year the intention is to make it bigger than ever, helped by the Let’s Go Southall funding. We hope to see as many people as possible coming along – either to run, or to cheer the children on – and then enjoy the rest of the sports day.”

How to sign up for the run

Children can be signed-up for the fun run before the big day, free of charge, here: https://www.riderhq.com/events/85452/southall-schools-fun-run

All children must be entered and accompanied on the day by a parent or guardian and each finisher will receive a medal, certificate, fruit and water and a free raffle ticket (raffle to be drawn later in the day).

Sports day into its sixth year

Southall Community Sports Day itself is free to attend and there will be lots of family activities on offer, including football and Pungra dancing; and a wide range of stalls – including health checks, Let’s Go Southall and other healthy living stalls providing information on how to stay active and healthy and reduce the risk of diabetes and other conditions through making simple lifestyle changes. There will also be face painting and henna, yoga, running, health walks, tug-of-war and much more.

Janpal Basran, manager of Southall Community Alliance, said: “’Southall Community Alliance is delighted to be working with Ealing Half Marathon Legacy to arrange the first schools fun run at our annual sports day on 6 July. The event is now into its sixth year and what started up as a football competition has evolved into a day for families and children, with exercise and activity taster sessions. We will have a cycling challenge, community athletics, tug of war, yoga and various stalls focused on healthy living.

“We will also be promoting the exciting new Let’s Go Southall health project, about staying active; and we want residents to learn about, and enjoy, what is available in Southall.”