Primary schools have just six weeks to get involved with a
new road safety project that focuses on giving children the right
to walk safely in their communities.
Brake’s Kids Walk, in partnership with Co-op Insurance,
will see thousands of children, aged 4-11, put their best feet
forward to promote road safety and the health and planet-saving
benefits of walking.
The short, supervised walks will take place on Wednesday 13
June 2018 at or around schools, with children walking in a
crocodile formation and holding hands to promote the importance
of kids being able to walk without fear or threat from
traffic.
So far more than 50,000 children from over 300 UK schools
have registered to take part, with thousands more expected to get
involved over the next month.
The project, coordinated by road safety charity Brake, is
calling on five measures to help keep children safe: footpaths,
cycle paths, safe places to cross, slow traffic and clean
traffic.
Every school that registers via www.brake.org.uk/kidswalk will
receive a free action pack full of posters, banners, lesson
plans, assembly presentations and activities to run with their
children. Bilingual resources will be available for schools in
Wales. And hundreds of schools will use the event as a fundraiser
for Brake - the charity that supports families who have lost
loved ones in road crashes.
The charity has also teamed up with the National Police
Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) to
help local police and fire officers support schools with their
walks, especially those that have problems with traffic and
parking.
For more information and to register visit www.brake.org.uk/kidswalk
Dave Nichols, community engagement manager for
Brake, the road safety charity, said: “Brake is
passionate about the safety and welfare of children. We believe
it's every child's right to be able to walk in their communities
without fear of traffic and pollution. But to do this, we need to
make sure their journeys are safe. This is why we’re already
working with thousands of children to give them and their school
a voice, and I would encourage any school to join this project
and help get these important messages out to grown-ups.”
Nick Ansley, Head of Motor Insurance at the Co-op
said: “Our aim is to help to keep communities safe
and this is another way in which we’re hoping to do just
that.
“Each school across the UK faces different issues whether
it be available footpaths, safe places to cross, or cycle paths.
In partnership with Brake, we’re hoping to raise awareness
amongst all road users to ensure school children and their
parents have a safe walk to school.”
