WALK TO SCHOOL
The art of travel
This is Alex Wilson-Cankaya, whose artistic skills have won
his school a prize. His design for a bookmark is being
used to help encourage pupils to walk, scoot or cycle to
school. Jovanne Campbell reports.
T
he year three
student from
Selborne Primary
School in Greenford
was the winner of an art
competition organised by the
council’s school travel team.
All entrants had to draw a
picture to show something
they enjoyed on their journey
to school. More than 60
schools took part and each
chose their own winners but Alex
won the overall prize for the borough.
Alex’s school was given a scooter
pod for storing children’s scooters
in and he was awarded £50 worth of
Halfords vouchers for himself. His design
will be printed on real bookmarks which
will be distributed to primary schools
across the borough for Walk to School
Month in October.
This national challenge aims to
encourage families to give children the
right amount of exercise each day and
help parents to become more active at
the same time. Fewer car journeys
also helps air quality and reduces
congestion.
It has been reported that
exercise improves concentration
levels in children – and that pupils
walking, scooting or cycling to
school tend to arrive refreshed,
invigorated and ready to learn.
Alex with his winning design and the school’s parent governor Ghana Assi
During October, each pupil at the
participating schools will be given the
bookmark and it will be stamped each
day they walk, cycle or scoot into school.
Schools will have their own rewards for
children taking part.
Council leader Julian Bell said: “Firstly, I
would like to say congratulations to Alex for
his wonderful design. He should be extremely
proud of himself, as should everyone that took
part. This campaign shows our commitment
to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle,
starting with our very youngest residents.”
Selborne Primary School headteacher
Kerry Shilling said: “We are all so excited to
see Alex’s superb drawing on the bookmark;
we are very proud he won the competition.
We encourage all our pupils to walk, cycle
or scoot to school so they can enjoy their
journey here and be in the right frame of
mind for lessons.”
around ealing September 2018
9