25 October 2023
Pupils at Wintringham Primary Academy were able to glow on the go after Barratt Homes’ hi-vis donation for Walk to School Month in October.
The Cambridgeshire housebuilder gave the school 35 hi-vis kit bags for its pupils to use whilst walking to and from school, to ensure they are 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.
Maxim Hall, Assistant Headteacher at Wintringham Primary School, said: “It is important to us that we encourage our children to walk to school, improving their wellbeing at the same time as looking after the environment. We massively appreciate the donations given by Barratt Homes so the children can be safe whilst making their journeys to and from school.”
Findings from the Department for Transport, following the National Travel Survey, identified that 49% of children between the ages of five and 10-years-old walked to school in 2022.
The donation from the homebuilder, based close to the school at the Wintringham development, was designed to encourage pupils to stay active whilst making certain they remained visible during the darker mornings and evenings.
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.
Simon Francis, Managing Director at Barratt Homes Northampton, said: “Walk to School Month is a campaign that we will always actively support, as the safety of pupils walking to and from school is of utmost importance.
“We have a number of families moving into the Wintringham development, so we hope the donation of hi-vis kit bags to Wintringham will help its pupils to continue their commute on foot now we have fewer hours of daylight.”
Barratt Homes’ hi-vis kit bags 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.
Paul Murfin, Communities and Partnerships for Wintringham, said: “Our housebuilders are an important part of the Wintringham community and it’s great to see Barratt Homes supporting the local primary school children and promoting the importance of staying safe during Walk to School Month and throughout the year.
“Active travel is an important part of Wintringham’s ethos, with walking, cycling and scooting to and from school providing a healthy and sustainable alternative to travelling by car.”
