DairyCo

World School Milk Day

Published 28 September 11

DairyCo Celebrate World School Milk Day 2011

This year World School Milk Day will be celebrated on Wednesday 28th September 2011

The goal of World School Milk Day is to provide a particular day when attention is focused on milk provision into schools. Importance is lent to the event by the fact that other countries all over the world are doing the same thing, on the same day.

World School Milk Day Facts:

• The 1st World School Milk Day was held in 2000
• It has since become an annual event every last Wednesday in September
• Over 30 countries - regardless of whether they are large or small, rich or poor - celebrate World School Milk Day, demonstrating that the interest in school milk is universal.

How is World School Milk Day celebrated?

World School Milk Day is an "open" day - people are free to celebrate how they wish. Celebrations can be at any level - from national or regional events to individual schools. Some countries have started in a small way and have organised bigger celebrations with each passing year.

What can you do to celebrate?

• Lesson ideas - celebrate by incorporating some fun lesson ideas and activities into your classroom curriculum on how milk is produced
• Run a competition in  your art class for the best drawing of a 'dairy cow' and make it into a poster to place around the school
• Contact your local dairy farmer to arrange for them to come and talk to the children about dairy farming, or better still, arrange to go and visit the farm with the children
• Write a song or poem that has a milk theme and perform it to the class

There are so many ways you can get involved, the list is endless!

To help celebrate World School Milk Day this year DairyCo, working in partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation will be launching new Welsh bilingual educational resources on the 28^th via the Food - a fact of life education website (www.foodafactoflife.org.uk).  Welsh language materials have been firmly on the agenda for DairyCo/BNF as part of their continued support of Welsh schools. The resources were developed in conjunction with Welsh Education Working Group, who comprise of primary and secondary school teachers, examination experts and the FSA Wales.

To view the new primary bilingual resources visit: http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=0&siteId=14&sectionId=100

To view the new secondary bilingual resources visit:

http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=92&contentId=467

Please note that DairyCo provide resources for schools across GB so there's something for everyone to get involved in the celebrations.

For advice and information on how to provide milk in schools please refer to information provided on this site or give us a call on 0870 241 2693

New Zealand Rugby Players Celebrate World School Milk Day 2010

The very successful Chard Rugby Club, unbeaten this year in the Somerset Premier League and with a clean sweep last week of wins for all four senior and two junior teams, brought their New Zealand players to Holyrood School in Chard to celebrate World School Milk Day with Coombe Farm. The farm supplies all Waitrose's new Duchy Organic milk through the well-run Milk Pool.

Philip Cook, MD of Coombe Farm, who has long been a supporter of his local rugby club, initiated summer camps with the southern hemisphere three years ago where rugby coaches came to Somerset to coach the youngsters.  They enjoyed themselves so much that some of them wanted to return to play for the club.  Cook found them jobs or voluntary work and accommodation, and Lee Carter, 23 and Lucas Bennett, 25 were the first Kiwis to take up the opportunity.

Part of Chard Coach Simon Johnson's message to the enthusiastic 14 year olds at the school is the importance of good nutrition with a healthy diet.  Simon explained to the youngsters that by including milk and dairy as part of your daily balanced diet, everyone can maximise their intake of the nine essential nutrients milk can provide, including:   Potassium, Phosphorus, Protein, Vitamins A & D, Riboflavin, Niacin, and most importantly for children, Calcium. 

"I am very pleased that we can bring together the expertise of our Chard players and demonstrate to the schoolchildren the vital importance of a good, nutritional diet which will build their strength for such an exciting game as rugby," said Mr Cook.  "We all become winners in this way."

If your school took place in World School Milk Day this week we would love to hear your story, so why not email us at project@schoolmilk.co.uk

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Help celebrate World School Milk Day

If you do not already provide milk in school then why not use WSMD to help launch your school milk programme

• Contact your Local Authority to find out about school milk provision in your area.
• Ask your local milk supplier if they can help support you with your WSMD activity.
• Canvass parents to let them know what you are planning to do for WSMD and to gauge interest. Some parents may offer to get involved with the launch.
• Arrange a school visit to your local dairy farm click here for more information.                              
• There are various competitions you could run
  • Design a milk carton
  • Photography competition - Milk Moustache shoot (visit www.makeminemilk.co.uk)
  • Create a new milk poster for the dining area/class room
  • Hold a WSMD milk race with international costumes having to be made and worn during the race
  • Have a 'sticker' collection competition and award stickers for the most innovative ideas for promoting milk in school

To help schools with their WSMD activities, why not order our free Story of Milk CD rom and invite Charlotte the Cow to celebrate WSMD. Please note that the accompanying Story of Milk booklet, also free of charge, is a great handout for the children to take home with them. For more ideas on how to celebrate WSMD please visit www.nutritionexplorations.org. To order our resources please click here.

Click on the flyer below to download your copy containing loads of useful information on how to take part in World School Milk Day 2010.