Kentish Express Ashford & District
Green travel winners enjoy day at the castle
Pupils from Furley Park Primary in Ashford got the star treatment at a prize-giving ceremony for walk-to-school winners.
Berners class were announced district winners of a KM Charity Team green travel contest.
The challenge was open to schools taking part in the KM Walk to School campaign, and encouraged as many pupils as possible to use eco-friendly travel.
Pupils Saif Alubaidi and Lexie Wilson, both seven, attended an event staged at Leeds Castle, Maidstone, to collect the class prize of a framed certificate and child entry tickets to the castle.
Simon Dolby of the KM Charity Team said: “Berners class are deserving winners for championing the walk to school and reaping the benefits of regular exercise.”
The KM Charity Team run green travel services for schools including Active Wow and Green Footsteps.
Green travel has soared to an all-time high thanks to the heroic efforts of pupils taking part in the KM Walk to School campaign.
More than 318,000 school-run car journeys have been removed from the county’s roads this year, smashing last year’s figure of 272,650.
Families have notched up 700,000 green journeys this academic year through walking, cycling, scootering, or opting to park and stride to school.
Organisations backing the KM Walk to School campaign include Kent County Council, Bel UK, Countrystyle Recycling, Specsavers and Eurostar.
The resources for the Active Wow green travel scheme include stickers, charts, and a class-of-the-week trophy as well as major prizes for inter-school challenges. Schools also receive self-evaluation evidence for Ofsted. Bonus initiatives include fun online road-safety skill tests helping pupils to become safer pedestrians.
Schools can join Active Wow for the 20172018 academic year by visiting kmwalktoschool.co.uk or emailing Sarah Clyne at sclyne@thekmgroup.co.uk