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• May
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• Ditch the car - try walking to school

Children and parents in Knowsley are being asked to leave the car at home and walk to school as part of national Walk to School Week from May 19.

Children at the borough’s primary and secondary schools will be encouraged to enjoy the benefits of walking throughout the week as part of a drive to reduce congestion around schools in the area.

Cllr Graham Morgan, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “As part of Walk to School Week, we are asking parents who usually drive their children to school to try walking with them instead. That little bit of extra exercise each day can make a surprising difference to both the parent’s and child’s health and fitness, encouraging a healthier lifestyle and tackling obesity.

“And with less cars arriving at the school gates at the beginning and the end of the day, the schools are more pleasant environments, and much safer for everyone.”

Primary schools in Kirkby are getting together to celebrate and promote walking to school for all parents and children. St Joseph’s School in Kirkby invited Park Brow and Cherryfield primary schools to launch the week. St Joseph’s organised a funky feet competition to encourage all pupils to get involved in walking to school.

Miss C Gordon, Head Teacher at St Joseph’s School, said “Walk to School is a fantastic way to get the whole school involved in our school travel plan. We are trying to encourage all our parents to leave the car at home and walk with their children to and from school.”

As part of Walk to School Week, all Knowsley schools receive educational resource packs from the Council’s Travel Plan Team, containing wall charts to record the pupils’ journeys to school, activity diaries, posters and stickers.

Knowsley Council works with parents, children and schools all year round to encourage them to develop school travel plans encouraging pupils, parents and staff to walk or cycle to school. 


Photo: Cllr Jayne Aston Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care with children from St Joseph’s School showing their Funky Feet designs and children from Park Brow and Cherryfield.

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