Promoting a Healthier Commute With Living Streets

By ditching the car on the school run, the UK can battle back against obesity, improve health and wellbeing among children and reduce air pollution.

It’s a message being delivered by Living Streets, who are organising Walk to School Week, a campaign Winn Solicitors is supporting by sponsoring Byker-based St Lawrence's Primary School.

It comes at a time when almost 30% of children in England are either overweight or obese.

Those statistics, from the ONS (2018), highlight the need to provide more opportunities for exercise within the day for those under the age of 18.

In a study from the British Heart Foundation (2105), they found 79% of boys and 84% of girls, aged 5-15 in the survey, are not meeting the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day.

That’s why it is vital we support campaigns like Living Streets’ Walk to School Week, which encourages children to walk to school instead of being dropped off by car.

Not only will it improve health, but also the congestion around school gates thus improving air quality. Over 2,000 schools and nurseries in England and Wales are within 150 metres of a road breaching the legal levels of NO2 pollution.

With one in four cars on the road at morning peak time taking children to school – according to a National Travel Survey in 2018 – never has there been a more appropriate time to take a greener commute.

Group Digital Marketing Manager, Amy Thompson, said: “We have worked with Living Streets over a number of years to support a variety of schools in the local area as they get involved with Walk to School Week.

“Last year was a great success with the children having fun and, more importantly, learning the benefits of walking to school for both their health and the environment.

“To support St Lawrence's on this campaign week is a way of giving back to the local community.”

See a video from last year’s event by clicking here.

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