FROME schools, including St Louis Primary, Trinity First School, St John’s First School and Avanti Park School, are among the thousands of schools taking part in the annual Big Walk and Wheel challenge this month.
Hosted by active travel charity Sustrans, the challenge encourages schools and pupils to engage in active travel to school, on foot or on wheels. Participating schools can win daily prizes if 15% or more of their pupils travel actively to school.
The scheme started on Monday 11th March and ends on Friday 22nd March. Frome Town Council has been holding some events so far, with more coming during the fortnight, as part of the preparation for the Safer School Streets trial, which is due to start in the summer term.
The council’s resilience project officer Katie Fraser, said, “We’re enjoying another Big Walk and Wheel in Frome! The ever-popular ‘smoothie bike’ will be visiting Avanti Park offering children the chance to blend their own delicious smoothies using a pedal-powered blender mounted on the back.
“Local legend, Cheryl Sprinkler of Mojo Moves, will lead a dance session and walking bus from the bandstand in Victoria Park to Trinity First school on Wednesday 13th March. On Wednesday 20th March, we do it all again, with a somewhat shorter trip down to Avanti in time for the start of the school day. Students at Critchill School will also have some dance sessions with Cheryl and a visit from the smoothie bike in the coming weeks, encouraging active travel for their students ahead of the Safer School Streets trial.”
Cllr Carla Collonette, said, “This year’s Big Walk and Wheel comes just before the start of the Safer School Streets trial, where highway improvements and a new 20mph zone will make it safer for young people to walk or wheel to school, alongside a trial of timed road closures around Oakfield, Trinity, Critchill and Avanti Park. We hope the 2024 Big Walk and Wheel fortnight and the activities in schools, such as the recent BMX displays and Dr Bike repair sessions, will help pupils enjoy active travel to school in the short and the longer term.”
The Big Walk and Wheel is the UK’s largest inter-school walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling challenge. It inspires pupils to make active journeys to school, improve air quality in their neighbourhood and discover how these changes benefit their world. For more information, visit https://bigwalkandwheel.org.uk/.
Further information about the Safer School Streets project is at https://bit.ly/safer-school-streets-24.
