Get active during Walk to School Month

Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement
Get active during Walk to School Month

October is celebrated as International Walk to School Month and the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging parents to do the school run on foot and start to feel the benefits for both them and their children.

Statistics show almost three-fifths (59%) of primary school pupils are driven to or from school by car, while only 31% walk, 10% travel by bus and 1% cycle.

Among post-primary pupils, almost half (46%) travel to or from school by bus, 30% are driven by car and 22% of pupils walk to/from school, while 2% take the train.

Colette Brolly, the PHA lead on physical activity, explained: “It’s important that children are introduced to a culture of being active from an early age as it is something that will stay with them and benefit them throughout their lives.

“The great thing about walking is that it is simple and easy to do. It’s something that can be built in to your everyday routine and there’s no better way to get started than walking to school with your kids.

“International Walk to School Month gives us all the opportunity to get active and it’s not something that’s just for kids. Make this a family experience and walk with your children to school. It won’t feel like exercise at all and you and your children will get to spend that special time together, as well as becoming more active.”

Being physically active helps to build strong bones, muscles and a healthy heart and helps develop social skills and encourages a sense of wellbeing.

Children over the age of five years need to take part in moderate to vigorous intensity activities for at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, every day. This can be broken up into small chunks of at least 10 minutes throughout the day – it all adds up.

Supporting the PHA’s message during International Walk to School Month, Alison Lindsay, Principal of Carrick Primary School in Lurgan, said: “Since taking up the post as Principal on 1 September it has been lovely to see so many children walking to and from school with their friends or as a family.

“This is a great free way to ensure children are active on a daily basis and they’re exercising without realising it. I have observed children chatting with friends and families having great social interaction as they walk and in an era of technology this very important.

“Children who walk to school are more alert during the day in class. The health benefits of lifting your mood, making your heart stronger and helping you sleep better cannot be ignored.

“As we are working towards our Eco Schools Green Flag, walking to school helps reduce traffic in and around the school and therefore has benefits for the environment as well as ensuring the children of Carrick Primary School have optimum health and wellbeing,”

For adults, walking at a brisk pace can make you feel good and reduce anxiety, can help you sleep better, and can reduce blood pressure, and with 69% of men and 57% of women being overweight or obese in Northern Ireland, walking to school with your children can also help you manage your weight.

The PHA, along with the Department for Regional Development, also has in place an Active Schools Travel programme. The programme works with Sustrans NI to enable more pupils to walk, cycle or scoot to school rather than taking a lift in the car with their parents. It has been going from strength to strength since it began in 2013 and this year is engaging with almost 200 schools.

For more information on the Active Schools Travel programme and to find out how to get involved visit www.sustrans.org.uk/northern-ireland

For further information on the benefits of walking and tips and hints to get started visit the PHA’s websites www.choosetolivebetter.com and www.getalifegetactive.com

Notes to editors