A year 1 pupil at Damson Wood Infant and Nursery School is asking everybody to ‘please walk to school’ with a banner he designed for his school.
With the support of Solihull Council’s sustainable travel team, the school ran a competition to design a banner about the importance of walking to school. Year 1 pupil Elliot won and was presented with the winning banner by Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Planning and Housing and Annabel Matharu from the council’s sustainable travel team.
Proud parents Jody and Jennifer were invited to the school’s special assembly on walking to school and the children learnt more about pollution and why walking helps reduce dangerous particles in the air. They also learnt why walking to school helps set you up for the day and builds strong bodies for life.
Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Planning and Housing, said: “It was lovely to be invited to Damson Wood Infant and Nursery School Academy’s special assembly and see at first-hand how even very young children can learn about environmental issues and how they affect them.
“The sustainable travel team’s competition has resulted in some striking banners in our schools and also raised pupils’ awareness about the importance of walking to school – something we all need to take to heart.
“Well done to Elliot and to everyone else who took part.”
Headteacher and Interim SENCo of Damson Wood Nursery and Infant School Academy, Emily Hume said: “We were thrilled that Damson Wood was selected to receive a sustainable travel banner for our school.
“The children really enjoyed taking part in the competition and they demonstrated very creative skills to share the message of walking, scooting or cycling to school with our community, in order to protect our local environment.”
Other schools which received new banners this term designed by their pupils were Oak Cottage Primary School and St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School.
To find out more about walking to school and this year’s Walk to School Week, 20 - 24 May, please visit Road safety in schools (solihull.gov.uk)