Pudsey pupils show their fancy footwork for walk to school week

Pupils across the city stepped up to the challenge to encourage their parents to ditch the car and walk to school during last week’s Walk to School Week.

Walk to School Week is a national event to promote the benefits of walking to school to help live an active and healthy lifestyle.

Schools in Leeds stepped 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.

As part of Walk to School Week pupils at Pudsey Waterloo Primary School took 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 followed 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 took part in pedestrian skills training followed by fun activities around the theme of walking.

Councillor Richard Lewis attended an awards assembly to present prizes to the 20 mph sign design competition winners, ‘Walk to School Week’ Challenge winners and children who had done their best in the day’s activities.

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

“It was fantastic to be able to present the pupils at Pudsey Waterloo with their awards, they showed great commitment to learning more about 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 Lisa Mulherin, executive member for children and families said:

“Children learn so much more if they are given exciting and interesting activities to do which capture their imagination. Taking part in the Walk to School Week Challenge and these fun activities will help encourage children to lead healthier more active lifestyles. It is also a great opportunity to teach children vital road safety skills, which last a lifetime.”

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.