[C]umbria County Council’s Active Travel team launched the exciting ‘Feet First’ initiative in November 2016 with the aim of encouraging children, parents and staff to walk, cycle or scoot to school.
Since then, 53 primary schools across Cumbria have signed up to the scheme, with over 7,000 children taking part. As a result of travelling more actively to school, children (as well as their parents and staff taking part) are more alert when they arrive and they’re fitter and healthier too.
As part of the Feet First campaign, children from all of the participating schools were invited to enter a competition to design a logo for the scheme. The competition was judged separately for pupils of infant and junior ages, with a winner and runner up for both. Twelve schools took part in the competition, with almost 100 entries. These were whittled down to three from each school for both infants and juniors and judged by David Jenkinson, Senior Manager for Transport Services at Cumbria County Council. David was impressed with the imagination, creativity and originality of the designs. Prizes included a goody bag of arts & crafts materials, felt pens, paints, activity books and a £25 voucher for Halfords.
Nancy Sloan, School Travel Officer at Cumbria County Council, said: “Feet First is not only good for the environment, but travelling actively to school results in healthier and fitter children, and we hope they will carry this habit in to their teens and adulthood. Each child taking part in Feet First is given a fun and educational puzzle book to complete throughout the school year, and if they travel actively to school once or more each week they receive a reward at the end of each term.
“The competition to design a logo for Feet First has been very well supported and the standard of the entries was amazing! It was very hard to pick winners and runners up – we have some budding artists in Cumbria! Congratulations to the winners and runners up and a huge thank you to everyone who took part, we’re looking forward to next year’s competition already!”
Katie Ellison, aged 10 from St James Junior School in Whitehaven was one of the winners in the junior age category. Katie’s drawing was exceptional and she was delighted to receive her award and prizes. Katie’s winning entry design is attached to this release.
Evie Robinson, aged 5 from Kingmoor Infants School in Carlisle was one of the runners up in the infant age category. Evie was overwhelmed to find out she had won a prize and was delighted to receive a certificate and framed copy of her drawing as well as the prizes. A photo of Evie receiving her prizes from School Travel Officer Nancy Sloan is attached to this release.
Further presentations to winners and runners up at Stanwix School in Carlisle and Coniston Primary School are planned for later in May. Cumbria County Council’s Active Travel team would like to say a big thank you and congratulations to all of the schools, pupils, parents and staff who have taken part in Feet First and / or entered the competition to design a logo.
