Perth Councillor and pupils celebrate walking to school

Councillor Brian Leishman (Perth City North) visited pupils at Goodlyburn Primary School today (1 December) to celebrate their efforts to travel to school sustainably.

Goodlyburn Primary School takes part in WOW – the walk to school challenge from Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking. The challenge rewards children who walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ to school with pupils recording their active journeys using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker.

The school recently came third in the WOW Top Ten leaderboard, which boosts pupils’ engagement in the walk to school challenge and increases walking rates.

This term, the Eco Committee decided to award active journeys with a difference. After realising that some boys and girls couldn’t make an active journey before or after school, they decided that the daily mile could be carried out in school time and recorded as a journey instead. They are hoping that this will make the Travel Tracker system more inclusive to all pupils.

Councillor Brian Leishman said:

“It’s been terrific to see the kids of Goodlyburn Primary School so enthusiastic about taking part in the WOW Walk to School challenge!  The initiative is fantastic for empowering the kids by encouraging them to make healthy choices like walking or cycling to school.

“This is a great form of exercise AND the kids are aware that having fewer cars around the school is beneficial for their safety, and also our environment. “

Chris Thompson, Project Manager at Living Streets Scotland, said:     

 “It was great that Councillor Leishman could join us today to celebrate walking to school. WOW is a fun and easy way to help children meet the recommended 60 minutes of exercise per day.

“Pupils at Goodlyburn Primary School have made a real effort to travel to school sustainably this year – well done!”

Jennifer Shek, a teacher at Goodlyburn Primary School, said:

“The WOW Travel Tracking system has become a part of the Goodlyburn ethos and the children are invested in this project, which is shown through their motivation to complete their Tracker.

"There’s definitely a real sense of achievement and pride when pupils are awarded with a badge.”

In Scotland, over 150 schools take part in WOW, and on average they see a 5-10 per cent increase in pupils walking to school with a corresponding drop in car use, helping to reduce congestion and increase safety outside the school gates.