Busy Bees Nurseries are celebrating the 2012 Olympics, as 136 nurseries embark on a spectacular 136 day torch-relay across the UK.

Mr Busy Bee himself started the relay with an Opening Ceremony at Busy Bees in Sudbury Hill, attended by runner and Paralympic Gold medallist, Tim Prendergast, and the Mayor of Harrow, Mrinal Choudhury. Busy Bee is now making his way around 136 Busy Bees Nurseries across the UK, supported by an array of sports personalities and Paralympic champions at various stages of the journey, before reaching his final destination in Excel on Thursday 26th July, the eve of the London Olympic Opening Ceremony.

A sporting celebration is being held at each of the nurseries as Busy Bee arrives with the torch. During the celebrations, all children have the opportunity to join in with the nurseries’ ‘Golden Mile’ challenge, an interactive fitness challenge that is designed to not only be fun for children, but also encourage fitness and active play with their peers! Its aim is to encourage children aged two and over to complete up to eight miles of physical activity over the next year.

As well as encouraging children to engage in physical activity from a young age, children are sponsored to take part in the Busy Bees’ ‘Golden Mile’ challenge to raise funds for The Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, a charity which gives disadvantaged young children the chance to realise their dreams through inspirational guidance from Paralympic, World and Commonwealth champions.

Olympic Gold Medallist, Dame Kelly Holmes, launched the initiative at Busy Bees in Sudbury Hill and is delighted at the support from Busy Bees, “It’s fantastic that young children are being encouraged to take up an active and healthy lifestyle and their support will really help us to create life chances for more young children.”

Marg Randles, Managing Director at Busy Bees, explains why the event is important, “Busy Bees understands the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and we believe that we can shape future generations by introducing them at a very early age to fitness that is not only energetic but fun.

“By introducing the Golden Mile, and by introducing our children to the Olympics, we hope in some small way to encourage a surge of interest in physical activity in a way that will embrace families and even the local community”

Throughout the 136-day relay, Mr Busy Bee will be writing about his journey on his blog as he visits each Busy Bees nursery and joins in the celebrations, which you can [Click Here] to view.