Coe's healthy message for families

Published on Tuesday 10 March 2009 20:48

LORD Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the 2012 Olympics, yesterday encouraged Scots to improve their health through diet and exercise.

The double Olympic middle-distance gold medallist watched pupils make a meal on Scotland's first "cooking bus", a kitchen on wheels teaching cooking and healthy eating skills to families. He also joined Scotland's sports minister, Shona Robison, and Louise Martin, the head of SportScotland, in getting on their bikes to encourage people to take more exercise.

They cycled around Dumfries for half an hour and then walked for another 30 minutes, before visiting Lochside Primary School, which is helping children who want to cycle and walk to school. Lord Coe said the 2012 London Olympics and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 could ensure millions of people became more active.

He said: "Both events will deliver inspiring sporting performances, but the legacy starts now.

"Projects like the cycling and walking initiatives we saw today will enable more people to make positive changes in their lives."