Pupils go around the world with Wokingham active first
From the Okavango Delta in Botswana to Lake Baikal in Russia, and from Uluru in Australia to the Krubera cave in Georgia, primary school pupils in the Wokingham borough will be experiencing the natural wonders of the globe this year with an innovative new scheme from Wokingham Borough Council, being piloted at Emmbrook Primary School.
Called Active First, the scheme encourages Wokingham children to walk to school, which will improve their health and help to conserve the world’s resources. Participants learn about the world’s most amazing and endangered natural wonders at the same time.
When Active First pupils walk or cycle to school, they are able to gradually collect 50 different cards depicting natural wonders all over the planet. They also receive stamps on their own map of the world, showing their route across the globe as they walk their way to greater understanding of the world’s most spectacular sites and precious wildlife.
Wokingham Borough Council’s school transport advisor Eddie Dolan said: “The world is filled with amazing natural wonders which are at risk due to damaging human activities. Unnecessary car use is very damaging to the environment and Active First rewards children for walking or cycling and reducing car use. They also get to learn about other countries and cultures at the same time.
“To get a stamp they have to walk at least 400m to school but if they live nearer than that they can always walk around the playing field when they get there. We are piloting the scheme this term with a route of 50 natural wonders, so a child who walks to school nearly ever day should be able to complete the route in a term. If the scheme is a success we’ll expand it to other areas.”
Executive member for Wokingham environment Simon Weeks said: “The health benefits to children of walking or cycling to school are well known. Active First could prove to be an excellent incentive for more parents and children to find ways to fit walking to school into the daily plan and leave the car behind. I hope many more schools will soon be involved and that the children will enjoy collecting the cards with our planet’s natural wonders on them.”
For further information about Active First, teachers and parents can contact the school travel advisor on (0118) 974 6297 or at transportplanning@wokingham.gov.uk
Called Active First, the scheme encourages Wokingham children to walk to school, which will improve their health and help to conserve the world’s resources. Participants learn about the world’s most amazing and endangered natural wonders at the same time.
When Active First pupils walk or cycle to school, they are able to gradually collect 50 different cards depicting natural wonders all over the planet. They also receive stamps on their own map of the world, showing their route across the globe as they walk their way to greater understanding of the world’s most spectacular sites and precious wildlife.
Wokingham Borough Council’s school transport advisor Eddie Dolan said: “The world is filled with amazing natural wonders which are at risk due to damaging human activities. Unnecessary car use is very damaging to the environment and Active First rewards children for walking or cycling and reducing car use. They also get to learn about other countries and cultures at the same time.
“To get a stamp they have to walk at least 400m to school but if they live nearer than that they can always walk around the playing field when they get there. We are piloting the scheme this term with a route of 50 natural wonders, so a child who walks to school nearly ever day should be able to complete the route in a term. If the scheme is a success we’ll expand it to other areas.”
Executive member for Wokingham environment Simon Weeks said: “The health benefits to children of walking or cycling to school are well known. Active First could prove to be an excellent incentive for more parents and children to find ways to fit walking to school into the daily plan and leave the car behind. I hope many more schools will soon be involved and that the children will enjoy collecting the cards with our planet’s natural wonders on them.”
For further information about Active First, teachers and parents can contact the school travel advisor on (0118) 974 6297 or at transportplanning@wokingham.gov.uk
Wokingham Borough Council
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