MILTON KEYNES HOMEBUILDER HELPS PUPILS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE FOR WALK TO SCHOOL MONTH

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Pupils at Bow Brickhill C of E Primary School in Milton Keynes recently received a donation of hi-vis bag tags from Barratt and David Wilson Homes to help them shine bright during Walk to School Month in October.

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BN – 11 – Staff and pupils at Bow Brickhill C of E Primary School with the bag tags donated by Barratt and David Wilson Homes

The Milton Keynes housebuilder gave the school 35 of the bag tags for its pupils to use whilst walking to and from school, ensuring they can be easily seen on the roads as the darker nights draw in.

Walk to School Month takes place during October each year and encourages pupils to celebrate the journey to school on foot.

According to figures from the 2021 National Travel Survey (NTS) and 2020-2021 Active Lives Survey (ALS), the number of children walking or cycling to school is falling. In 2021, 46% of children aged between five and 16 walked or cycled to school, a decrease from 50% in 2020.

The government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy features a target to increase the percentage of children that usually walk to school to 55% in 2025.

The Junior Road Safety Officers at Bow Brickhill C of E Primary School, said: “Walking to school safely is important to us because we don’t want anyone to get hurt. The bag tags will help make us more visible when we are crossing the road and when the nights get darker.”

Bow Brickhill C of E Primary School is a catchment school for the homebuilder’s Woburn Downs development and the donation of hi-vis bag tags is another part of Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ outreach to the local community.

Walking to school benefits children and their parents by increasing exercise and saving money on fuel, and it can even increase social interaction with other families who choose to walk to school and prevent stress by not driving during the rush hour.

Amer Alkhalil, Managing Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Northampton, said: “We want to ensure the pupils in the local communities remain visible now the darker nights are here, and our donation has hopefully still encouraged them to safely practice Walk to School Month.

“This is a campaign we actively support each year as we endeavour to help local school children in their efforts to commute on foot, and the bag tags have proven to be both effective and practical.

“Our Woburn Downs development is within the catchment area for Bow Brickhill C of E Primary School, so as families move into their new homes it is important for us to support Walk to School Month and encourage young children to stay safe while walking to and from school.”

Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ hi-vis bag tags have been particularly useful during Walk to School Month, whilst being certain to benefit the pupils in their future journeys to school throughout the winter months.