Magnificent Merchants’ Ride
 Massive congratulations must go to the 20 pupils and staff from Lawford’s House at Merchants’ Academy who completed a 17-mile sponsored bike ride this July.
The bike ride itself was instigated by the pupils who wanted to do something in their extra-curricular time to raise money for their House charity, the Grand Appeal at the same time as challenging themselves physically.
To prepare for this we started a bike club for all those who wanted to take part. Over four weeks we planned the route, wrote to potential sponsors, gave the school bikes some much needed TLC and honed the group’s riding skills.
When the day of the ride arrived the weather certainly wasn’t going to take it easy on us being the hottest day of the year. So with water bottles full we travelled down to the Strawberry Line on the National Cycle Network for our challenge.
The heat made it tough for everyone but the route was fantastic, winding through beautiful countryside on traffic-free paths. Winscombe Hill tunnel provided a welcome shady break and the old station and Thatcher’s orchard, welcome spots for a breather.
By the end of the ride there were a lot of tired bodies, but even more wide grins and a great feeling of satisfaction. Well done to all those involved.
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“Wow wow wow!!!!!! Kids loved Lee [BMX performer], he was amazing…the show was amazing…he engaged every child…they thought he was awesome!!! Thank you so much for all your hard work this year.”
Pat Scott, Learning Mentor/HLTA, Little Mead Primary Academy
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‘’The workshop was fab and the children and all adults involved loved it.’’
Teacher,St Chad’s Patchway CofE Primary commenting on route planning and 5 minute walking zone sessions
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"I enjoyed scooting because it felt faster…enjoyed fresh air…spotted things I don’t normally see in the car…went past families, met up with friends and mums were chatting as we raced, talked before school, played games with mum on the way, walked with my pet."
Year 3 pupil, Wansdyke Primary
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‘’I would like to thank you so much for the work and support you and your colleagues have given to our school. Our Active Ambassadors have enjoyed finding out about travel and environmental issues; lots of our pupils have enjoyed the breakfast events organised; the teaching and pupil resources provided have been first class too.’’
Teacher at The Ridge Juniors
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Fishponds Academy’s annual bike trip
Fishponds school’s annual bike rides for all KS2 students ran again in May.
Each year Champion Franc Herrity runs bike rides along the Bristol to Bath Path to give the students a fun day out but also train them up on good path use.
Each day a different year group will ride out to as far as Saltford, that’s 10 Miles!
We were blessed with good weather and enjoyed a picnic lunch at Mangotsfield Station and a cheeky icecream at Warmley Station.
Quote: “Great kids…very polite and credit to your school!” Warmley Waiting Room.
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Top tips for the autumn term
- See ‘Dates for the Diary’ below and use any themed weeks, dates or events to promote or discuss walking, cycling or scooting… International Walk to School Day (and Week) and Road Safety Week are all coming in the next few months.
- Start thinking about when the evenings get darker and the importance of using lights and being visible. Diwali is the Festival of Lights, perfect for promoting being seen after the clocks change.
- Plan your activities for 2015/16 and take your hands-up/baseline surveys to see how pupils are currently travelling. Do you need to refresh a travel plan, or tweak your information for new parents and pupils? What new things do you want to try?
Get this resource…
- Bike to School Week may have come and gone, but our new guide, 5 Small Steps to Something BIG, includes five activities designed to be delivered over five days, to help you turn any week into a Bike, Walk or Scoot to School Week. Download it at www.sustrans.org.uk/biketoschoolweek
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Join the Travelwest Schools Challenge
Following a highly successful challenge last year, all secondary schools in the West of England are invited to join this year’s challenge and make it even bigger and better.
There are many alternative ways both staff and students could travel to school that are healthier and a lot more fun.
The healthy competition the challenge provides encourages students to really think about how they travel. We would like schools to invite as many students as possible to participate so they get active by walking, cycling or scooting. An active life helps students feel happier and improves the level of concentration throughout the day.
Where distance prevents active travel, public transport could help with increasing the feeling of independence by slowly introducing students to being responsible for their own traveling. Other options include car sharing, which could be encouraged among parents.
All journeys logged on the Challenge website count to the total school score, and there are spot prizes up for grabs. Visit travelwest.info/schoolschallenge to register.
Due to the Safeguarding process, new registration approvals can take up to 2 working days so make sure to give plenty of time to register before the challenge starts!
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Biggest and Best year ever for Active Travel to School Week!
Active Travel to School Week is an active travel incentive in its third year that evolved in 2015 to include more interactive and creative resources to keep pupils entertained. Pupils were encouraged to reflect on their journey to school through daily challenges, drawing their route to school and collecting stickers. They were given a journal to record their week and add to as they saw fit. The stickers were half completed images to encourage pupils to use their imagination to complete the image and make their own vision of their local area.
The journal and its week of challenges served as research for pupils to draw on when entering the competition to design their own dream journey to school. After a week of exploring and considering the local area and their journey, pupils were better informed to create their own space. They were asked to imagine a happier, healthier and greener space to live in and travel through; a place where the local community can choose to travel actively, socialise and play together. Winners were chosen based on creativity, community inclusion and how much their design encouraged active modes of travel.
Twenty pupils won a family voucher to either At-Bristol, Bristol Zoo, ss Great Britain or Pedal Progression bike hire at Ashton Court. Pupils at Little Mead Primary Academy were wowed by a BMX stunt show for being the overall winning school.
In total, 55 primary schools registered (compared to 45 in 2014 and 50 in 2013) and 17,051 pupils took part (compared to 13,626 in 2014 and 12,075 in 2013). So we can very safely say this has been our biggest and best year to date.
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and highlighted not only increased active journeys for the duration of the week but also the parental involvement and potential longer term change in travel behaviour.
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West of England Partnership region
- 16,799 positive active travel experiences for pupils, staff and parents
- Active Travel to School Officers have collectively delivered 236 school-based activities
- 16 Transitions events or sessions have been delivered at schools, engaging with 963 pupils and 970 parents in total
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Across the UK
Sustrans’ School Mark recognises and supports schools’ excellence in active and sustainable travel. At last count we had 690 schools who had achieved Bronze level, 75 with the Silver award and 19 with Gold.
Schools have also demonstrated impressive increases in active and sustainable travel after taking part in Sustrans’ Big Shift, our a free-to-access online challenge which sets targets and charts their success.
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October
- 7th International Walk to School Day
- 5th-9th International Walk to School Week
- 25th Clocks change
- 31st Halloween
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We'd love to hear from you…
We are Emma Parker, Ian Tsang and Joe Bigwood, Sustrans Active Travel to School Officers for Bristol. Please get in touch if you have any great school stories or would like to find out more about our schools work.
Emma: 07500 833 132
emma.parker@sustrans.org.uk
Ian: 07787 434 281
ian.tsang@sustrans.org.uk
Joe: 07760 883 382
joe.bigwood@sustrans.org.uk
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