Andy Devaney
Team GB and ParalympicsGB have kicked off a nationwide movement to get the next generation moving with the launch of Get Set for Milan — a 13-week challenge designed to inspire children aged 5–11 and their families in the lead-up to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Backed by Sport England through National Lottery funding, the initiative invites families across the UK to embark on a virtual journey between the Olympic and Paralympic venues in northern Italy. As young participants log their minutes of activity, they’ll see their progress tracked online, transforming time spent moving into kilometres covered along the route from Milan to Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Building on Olympic Legacy
The programme builds on the success of Path to Paris, which engaged over 1.7 million participants ahead of the Paris 2024 Games, and forms part of the long-running Get Set education programme — originally created as the official education platform for London 2012.
Over the years, Get Set has evolved into a free resource hub for schools and community groups, offering activities such as Movement Bursts, Skills Building, and Managing Change — all designed to help children across the UK live healthier, happier, and more active lives every day.
Launch Event in Northampton
To celebrate the launch, a Milan-themed event took place on 6 November at Malcolm Arnold Academy in Northampton, in partnership with the David Ross Education Trust. Over 300 schoolchildren from local primaries met Team GB skeleton legend Shelley Rudman, a Turin 2006 Olympic silver medallist, and ParalympicsGB’s most decorated Winter athlete, Menna Fitzpatrick.
The day was packed with winter-inspired activities, including curling pop-ups, bracelet-making stations, and challenges that celebrated the Olympic and Paralympic values of teamwork, resilience, and inclusion.
Inspiring a Generation to Move
Jen Rouse, Managing Director of the Team GB Foundation, said: “Our unique mission at Team GB Foundation is to use the power of the Olympic Games to bring young people together, inspire behaviour change and celebrate diversity.
Our Get Set for Milan programme captures the magic of the Winter Games and brings it into schools, communities and homes encouraging children across the UK to take part in fun, inclusive challenges that celebrate teamwork, resilience and belonging.
As Team GB prepares for Milano Cortina 2026, this initiative gives young people the chance to join that journey and to be inspired by our extraordinary Team GB Winter Olympians.”
Anna Scott-Marshall, Director of Communications & Social Impact at ParalympicsGB, added: “We know that the colder months make taking part in sport and physical activity all the more difficult and yet it is so important that young people, particularly young disabled people, have the opportunity to take part in physical activity at school and at home.
Get Set For Milan provides fun challenges and resources for teachers to deliver exciting, inclusive and accessible activities to encourage more young people to get active and stay active. As ParalympicsGB athletes are set to compete on the world stage in Milano Cortina we encourage young people to cheer them on and take inspiration from their achievements.”
Simon Hayes, Chief Executive of Sport England, said: “As the countdown to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games continues, we’re proud to support the Get Set for Milan programme through National Lottery funding. Every child deserves the chance to enjoy the benefits of movement.
By making physical activity both fun and a trackable challenge, Get Set for Milan will help young people develop lifelong, positive relationships with being active.”
A Lasting Olympic Connection
Through Get Set for Milan, Team GB and ParalympicsGB are reigniting the spirit of the Olympic movement — encouraging children not just to move, but to dream, collaborate, and celebrate progress together.
Whether it’s a ten-minute dash in the garden or a walk to school, every movement counts toward something bigger: a shared journey from Britain to the heart of Italy’s Winter Games.
