Walk to school this week to raise money for the British Heart Foundation

Just Walk to school this week to raise money for the British Heart Foundation

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is calling on parents and pupils alike to mark Walk to School Week by signing up to the charity’s fundraiser Just Walk to help raise money for life saving heart research.

Just Walk invites teachers, parents and children to put their best foot forward and challenge themselves to walk to school each day for a week between Monday 16 May and Friday 20 May.

Walking is a great way to start the day and also encourages a healthy heart for children and parents.

Each day, an average of 12 babies are born with a heart defect. Research funded by the BHF is giving them the best chance of beating it.

Every stride and every pound raised from Just Walk will help the BHF fund vital research so that more children will grow up to become adults and lead full, active lives.

Thanks to research the number of children dying from congenital heart disease has fallen by 80% over the last three decades.

Lisa Young, Physical Activity specialist at the BHF, said: “Whether you choose to walk to school one day or every day during Walk to School Week it might help kick start better habits to encourage your school or family to keep heart healthy.

"Walking is a great way to keep active as it is fun, flexible and free. You can take the walk at your own pace and it’s an easy way to raise money for vital heart research that can help save lives.”

Sign up to Just Walk today and get a free kit full of everything you need to show heart disease where to go by visiting www.bhf.org.uk/JustWalk