Quality Meat Scotland backs the Champions in Schools scheme

Healthy eating is a key component of the initiative which involves 24 Scottish role models from the world of sport including Scottish rugby internationalist, Chris Paterson, double Olympic sailing gold medallist, Shirley Robertson, and former Celtic FC and Scotland football star, John Collins. The athletes deliver face-to-face workshops with physical activity in West Lothian, Perth and Kinross and the Borders as part of the programme (CiS), developed by Winning Scotland Foundation, a business-led charity. Supported by Scotch Beef (Quality Meat Scotland), the second year of the pilot programme comes at a time when research shows physical activity among youths, especially secondary school-aged girls, continues to fall. Susan Jackson, senior director of Winning Scotland Foundation and a 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, commented: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with the three local authorities and Quality Meat Scotland on this programme. "It isn't every day that school children get the opportunity to meet their heroes. And these role-models can have an incredible influence upon young people, profound and long-lasting, because pupils can see the direct benefits of a life dedicated to achievement, good health and positive thinking."