The annual Walk to School Week takes place next week (16-20 May) with the organisers expecting more than a million school children and their families to participate this year.
Organised by Living Streets*, the event aims to demonstrate how walking is healthy, green, and fun and can help to solve problems with road safety, obesity, pollution, and congestion.
Held as part of National Walking Month, a number of initiatives have been organised to encourage children to walk to school long beyond the week itself.
Primary school children are being encouraged to take part in Strider’s Walk in the Wild – a five-day challenge that gets pupils enjoying the benefits of regular walking.
Secondary school children can take on the ‘Living Streets’ Free Your Feet Challenge’. This week-long activity asks students to walk to school every day for the week, with a chance to win a £50 shopping voucher for all those who participate.
Tuesday (17 May) will be known as ‘Happy Shoesday’, with children, teachers and staff encourage to wear their happiest shoes to school and donate £1 to Living Streets.
The Walk to School website includes a range of free resources including a ‘carbon buster calculator’, Walk to School report card and downloadable posters, flyers and web banner.
*Living Streets is a charity comprising professionals and volunteers who work together to create ‘living streets’ around the UK. It has been campaigning for ‘safe, attractive, and enjoyable’ streets since 1929.
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