Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East
Thurrock, recently paid a visit to Arthur Bugler Infant School to celebrate
World School Milk Day.
Mr Metcalfe met with staff, pupils, and a representative of
Cool Milk to discuss the importance of milk in the school day.
World School Milk Day is organised by the Food and
Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and is celebrated in over 30
countries around the world. Its goal is to promote the importance of
drinking milk in school to children in a fun and educational way.
Mr Metcalfe met with school staff before being given a
classroom tour by pupils. As well as discussing the importance of milk in a
healthy and balanced diet, the local MP also acted as milk monitor, lending a
hand to teachers in distributing the drinks to the children.
He commented: “A third of a pint of milk contains nearly all
the vitamins and nutrients of importance to humans, including over half of a
child’s Daily Reference Intake (DRI) of calcium which is vital to help build
strong and healthy teeth and bones. Getting these nutrients in early childhood
provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grow up strong and healthy and I
was delighted to have the opportunity to share this message at Arthur Bugler
Infant School.”
As well as the health benefits, drinking milk everyday helps
a child’s interaction with other children, aids the development of important
social skills, and acts as an education tool to teach children about where food
comes from.
For further information, please
visit: http://www.worldschoolmilkday.co.uk/
