A HAPPY new year to all Courier readers.

Many of us will have made resolutions to be more active, take more exercise and get fitter. It is well understood now that what would be far better than new year resolutions in later life would be to have established good habits of physical activity when we were young.

I have written before in praise of the efforts of hundreds of county volunteers who give their time and energy to run our community sports clubs and train local youngsters in football, rugby and many other sports.

However, school has a role to play here too. Over the holidays, Labour published figures showing that over 1,000 schools in Scotland have no outdoor sports facilities at all, including four in 10 primary schools and over three quarters of schools for additional needs. Along with a cut last year of £1.3m in school sport, this is a bleak picture nationally.

Happily, though, in this race, East Lothian is out in front – 86 per cent of our primary schools and every one of our high schools have playing fields, which is the best provision anywhere in Scotland, with one exception.

That has not happened by accident and our local council is to be congratulated for refusing to take the short-sighted route of selling off playing fields when budgets are tight. They have also continued to invest in all-weather provision, most recently at Port Seton.

Many of our local primary schools have introduced the ‘Daily Mile’. Started in Stirling by headteacher Elaine Wylie, this sees all pupils walk or run one mile round the school every day. I have met with Elaine and she speaks inspiringly of the improved health, behaviour, concentration and results which follow.

Please do all you can to encourage your children and grandchildren to use those playing fields.