CHRISTMAS came early for a Gorse Ride Junior School pupil after scooping top prize in a contest that encouraged children to switch to greener forms of transport.
Year 4 pupil Harvey is now getting around Finchampstead riding his prize of a micro scooter.
His entry was plucked at random from 180 entries, each of which was made by participants of an Active Movement campaign that ran from Monday, October 31, through to Friday, November 25.
They were challenged to walking bingo: once nine challenges on their card were completed they could be returned to be entered into draw.
In all, 10 schools took part in the campaign which aims to reduce childhood obesity.
One of the key aims of encouraging active travel is to reduce air pollution, particularly outside schools where there is increased traffic at certain times of the day. This also helps the council to honour its pledge to do all it can to address the climate emergency.
As well as the scooter, there were goodie bags that included a reusable My Journey water bottle, a family swim voucher from Places for Leisure, a medal and high-visibility slap bands and stickers.
Cllr David Hare, Wokingham Borough Council’s executive member for health, wellbeing and adult services, conducted the prize draw at Gorse Ride Junior School.
He said: “It was such a privilege to be able to choose the winner of this year’s competition. All of the children were really enthusiastic about it, which shows the Active Movement campaign has achieved what it set out to.
“This is not about a sporadic, short-lived interest in being active – it is about trying to encourage a long-term change in the way children and their schools view exercise and how small things can make a big difference to their physical and mental health.”
Competition winner Harvey said: “I like Active Movement because it means I am always moving and it is about doing little things every day instead of sitting.”
Fellow Gorse Ride Junior student Jake, who is in Year 6 and won a goodie bag, said: “In the middle of a lesson, we will sometimes go out for a walk. Active Journey encourages me to walk a bit more before and after school, and it is a good way to remind me I can be active every day.”
Eileen Rogers, executive headteacher of Gorse Ride Schools, said: “Active Movement easily fits into our everyday routine and helps the children to be healthier, happier and more active.
“Our children enjoyed the opportunity to stand and move during lessons. It helps parents and children to realise that you can be more active just by changing the way you travel to school. It is not only good for their health, but also for the environment too.”
Email [email protected] to find out more about the Active Movement programme.
Pictures: Stewart Turkington
