Inverness pupils investigate motivations for health and wellbeing

Pupils at an Inverness Primary School have been quizzing people this week as to how they stay fit and healthy and what motivates them to do their jobs.

On Monday (21 June) Highland Council’s Director of Education, Culture and Sport Service, Hugh Fraser met Primary 6 pupils at Inshes Primary School and on Friday 25th, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey, Danny Alexander will be meeting primary 7 pupils.

The pupils invited their Director of Education and MP to join them in their school’s health and wellbeing week. The aim of the week is for pupils to think about their own personal fitness and motivations by looking at how other people with very busy lives manage to keep themselves fit and healthy.

Hugh Fraser said: “I explained to the pupils what brought me into teaching and what motivated me to move from teaching into management and then on into senior leadership. I hope that I got across the message that a healthy body keeps a healthy mind.”

A range of guest speakers have been addressing pupils throughout the week on various topics including: martial arts, basketball, golf, football, winter olympics and curling, triathlons, yoga, food preparation, youth activities, oral and dental health, dancing and cheerleading, and charity work.

Inshes Head Teacher Ishbel Gilroy said: “Our thanks go out to all the visitors, parents and teachers who have given their support to help the children explore the topic of health and wellbeing. Having the ability to listen to and ask questions of people who lead very different lives from themselves has been quite an eye-opener for many of the children. It has been an inspiration to them to think about how they can stay fit and healthy for the future.”

Local MP Danny Alexander added: “I’m very pleased to support this initiative and look forward to speaking about it to the primary 7s at Inshes.  It isn’t always easy to fit exercise and healthy eating into busy lives, but it’s enormously important.  There are a huge range of activities – so everyone can find something they really enjoy and get into the habit of doing it regularly.  I do my best – although I am sure the P7s will be able to teach me a thing or two.”