13 May 2014

Strathfield Council is encouraging local students and their parents to participate in Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 23 May. The campaign is designed to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for primary age children by leaving the car at home and walking to school.

Families who cannot walk the whole way to school are encouraged to park a kilometer from school and walk the rest of the way, or as an alternative consider riding a bike.

Strathfield Council will be providing a healthy snack to walkers from participating schools, which include Marie Bashir Public School and Homebush West Public School. Strathfield South Public School is also participating, and is encouraging students to ride to school as an alternative option to walking.

The day is a fantastic opportunity to promote healthy, social exercise for children and their families, while reducing traffic around schools and reinforcing safe pedestrian behaviour.

As part of Walk Safely to School Day, Mayor of Strathfield Cr Daniel Bott will be joining students from Homebush West Public School who walk to school every day with the school’s Walking Bus program.

“Programs like Walk Safely to School and the Walking Bus have fantastic benefits for the community. These programs are a simple way for children to get exercise, which is vital to their growth and development,” said Cr Bott.

“By encouraging participation in these programs at a young age, children will learn important life skills including developing safe pedestrian practices and understanding the importance of regular walking.”

The Walking Bus program is funded by Strathfield Council and was launched in 2014. Homebush West Public School students can join one of two ‘buses’ to walk to school, starting at Melville Reserve at 8.35am or Austin Park 8.30am.

Walk Safely to School Day offers a free app to map a child’s walk to and from school. Participants can challenge themselves or their classmates and win great prizes. Take the challenge at walk.com.au.