500 primary school children ran 2km in a mass fun run on Friday 12 July 2019 at the Oakleaf Sports Complex in Newton Aycliffe, supported by gold medallist sprinter Richard Kilty.

The children’s mass running event was organised by GO Run For Fun who invited North-East born Richard Kilty to the event. European and world champion, Kilty, cheered on the runners at the start line and gave them high fives as they completed the route.

Kilty commented: “Being able to support young people in Newton Aycliffe through sport, health and fitness is what attracted me to being at the GO Run For Fun event.”

When asked what advice he would give to children around being active, Kilty said: “Don’t be afraid of trying lots of different sports until you find one which you enjoy and are good at. It will make you a better athlete in the future.

“I have been lucky enough to be successful in my running career which has allowed me to support my family and friends. It’s important to set a goal and keep working towards that goal, but not be afraid to adjust it.”

Primary pupils aged between 5 and 11 from 8 local schools around Newton Aycliffe participated in the event and Sports Leaders from Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College supported the event, with INEOS volunteers also offering a helping hand.

GO Run For Fun is an initiative supported by INEOS, a multinational company head-quartered in London, with health and fitness at the heart of its ethos.

INEOS Chairman, Jim Ratcliffe, is deeply passionate about running. He said: “It has never been more important to support young people in leading healthier, more active lives.

“GO Run for Fun and The Daily Mile have been making a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of children in the UK and beyond for the last five years. We are very proud to support these two initiatives and everyone who runs in them.”

To find out more about GO Run For Fun, visit www.gorunforfun.com or stay up to date on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.