Pudsey pupils put their best foot forward for walk to school week

Pupils across the city are stepping up to the challenge to encourage their parents to ditch the car and walk to school.

Walk to School Week is a national event taking place from Monday 16 to Friday 20 May, to promote the benefits of walking to school to help live an active and healthy lifestyle.

Schools in Leeds are getting ready to step into action this year by holding inter-class competitions, producing travel to school diaries and creating posters and pictures to show the benefits of walking.

Media opportunity

When: Wednesday 18 May from 1pm to 3pm

Where: Pudsey Waterloo Primary School, Victoria Road, LS28 7SR

Pupils at Pudsey Waterloo Primary School will be taking part in fun activities around the theme of walking. Councillor Richard Lewis will attend an awards assembly at 2.30pm to award prizes for the 20 mph sign design competition, Walk to School Week Challenge and activities around the theme of walking.

As part of Walk to School Week pupils at Pudsey Waterloo Primary School will be taking part in a variety of safe and sustainable activities organised by Leeds City Council’s Influencing Travel Behaviour team. On the way to school children can follow a short ‘Walk to School Week’ challenge to answer questions and enter a competition. After a safe and sustainable travel assembly the Year 1 and Year 2 pupils will have pedestrian skills training and in the afternoon they can look forward to taking part in fun activities around the theme of walking.

Prizes will be awarded at the end of the day to the 20 mph sign design competition winners, ‘Walk to School Week’ challenge winners and children who have done their best in the activities around the theme of walking.

Councillor Richard Lewis, executive member for regeneration, transport and planning said:

“It’s great to see so many Leeds schools promoting car-free ways to travel to school. Encouraging children to walk to school helps them keep healthy as well as helping to reduce traffic on our roads and avoid congestion outside our school gates and improve air quality in our city.”

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, executive member for children and families said:

“These fun activities are a great way to capture children’s imagination and encourage them to lead healthier more active lifestyles by walking to school. It is also a great opportunity to teach children vital road safety skills and ensure they are alert and ready to learn at the start of the day.”

Annual Leeds school census results show that 55 per cent of Leeds children now walk to school on a regular basis.

Walk to School Week is an annual campaign run by the charity Living Streets. For more information people can visit www.livingstreets.org.uk.