Youngsters encouraged to walk to school

Pupils in Heywood & Middleton will join thousands of children from across the UK and over 40 countries worldwide this October to celebrate the benefits of walking to school during International Walk to School Month.

Jim Dobbin MP will be encouraging local pupils to take part.

The theme this year is ‘Count me in’, and the campaign is encouraging children to measure how much physical activity they do during the day.

Walking to school regularly is a fantastic way to reach the recommended daily 60 minutes of activity to benefit their health. Around half of children currently don’t walk to school regularly, with an enormous 41% being driven to school in cars, despite the fact that the average distance to primary schools remains around one mile. By encouraging families to ditch the car keys and get to school on foot, this Month will show that its not just PE lessons that are needed to give children the healthiest start in life – it’s how active they are in their daily life that really matters.

Teachers often report that those pupils who walk to school are more attentive in class. And it’s no surprise – the levels of physical activity undertaken by primary school age children are often greatly overestimated by parents. By simply walking to school and back each day, the average child will already be spending more time physically active than is provided for by the national curriculum.

National charity Living Streets, who are celebrating their 80th birthday this year, work to create safe, attractive and enjoyable streets around the UK. They run the highly successful Walk to School campaign, which encourages children, parents and teachers up and down the country to leave their cars at home and walk to school.

Jim Dobbin MP said: “Walking to school is a brilliant way to get some physical activity and some fresh air into your day. When children are bundled from front door to car door, they miss out on the opportunity to socialise with friends, get to know their community, and burn off some energy before getting their heads down in the books. I’d encourage everyone in my constituency to join in, and fit in a bit more walking this October!”

Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets said: “If we are to avoid the Government’s prediction of a quarter of our children being obese by 2050, we need to start making changes to our lifestyle now. We would love everyone who normally drives the school run to use this Month as an excuse to try walking. We think you’ll be amazed at how enjoyable a regular walk can be; a chance to spend real quality time together, and reap health rewards for all the family.”