Dairy industry partners with Britain's top sports stars for World Milk Day

Over 80 countries participate worldwide for World Milk Day

The dairy industry has partnered with five of Britain’s top sports stars for World Milk Day, with an initiative to ‘Make Milk Your Goal’.

The day aims to celebrate the nutritional merits of milk and its important role in athletes’ diets.

World Milk Day, which is now in its 18th year, was founded by the UN's FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organisation).

Over 80 countries participate worldwide, joining together to celebrate the nutritional benefits of milk.

Throughout the day farmers, people in the dairy industry and lovers of milk will be making a noise on social media using the hashtag #WorldMilkDay.

Milk is an integral part of the British diet and is one of the most popular staples in the UK, as 96% of adults drink milk.

And now British Olympians, such as hockey player Sam Quek MBE, gymnast Nile Wilson and track and field athlete Perri Shakes-Drayton have shared their own World Milk Day messages on Twitter.

They are raising a glass of milk and encouraging everyone to ‘Make Milk Your Goal’ when it comes to training and recovering from exercise.

Quick recovery

Quek, Wilson and Shakes-Drayton were joined by Harlequins rugby player Joe Marler and Aston Villa footballer Joshua Onomah, who had their own World Milk Day greetings for fans.

Marler made headlines last year when he attributed the rapid recovery of his broken leg to drinking two pints of whole milk every day.

His quick recovery enabled his inclusion in the England rugby team for the 2017 Six Nations Championship, and subsequently the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.

Nile Wilson, who returned to the UK from the recent Commonwealth Games with an astonishing three Gold and two Silver medals, said: “Milk is very important for my muscle recovery and bone health as it is filled with calcium and protein which is why I’m having a glass of milk to celebrate this day.”

Sharing her own World Milk Day message, Sam Quek MBE said: “Milk is packed full of nutrients which help support the body’s needs, in particular protein which is great for post exercise recovery, so join me and have a glass to make milk your goal this World Milk Day.”