Making a Difference

Improving Travel Facilities, Choices and Safety

Wheely Making a Difference

It is a well-proven fact that children, who walk or cycle to school are not only fitter and healthier, but also better equipped to cope with the demands of the classroom.

Thanks to funding from the Scottish Executive initiative, Tackling the School Run, a number of bold and imaginative projects have been delivered over the past year.

In March there was an unusually empty car park at the Laichmoray Hotel in Elgin as the first-ever School Travel Awards ceremony took place.  Thanks to the generosity of the event sponsors, Stagecoach Bluebird, staff and pupils attending the event were able to travel free of charge to and from Elgin.  Other key sponsors included Grampian Police, NHS Grampian, The Moray Council, Sustrans and Baxters.  The event celebrated all the hard work going on in schools to encourage active travel.  Various awards were distributed, including the Happy Crosser Award for the most helpful and cheery School Crossing Patroller.

In June Terrifically Twinkly Tuesday resulted in Moray schools gaining a new world record for simultaneous Bike Bell Ringing.  Over 600 pupils from all across Moray took part in the 'Ringathon' to the tune of 'The Blue Danube'.  The record attempt was part of National Bike Week, when lots of other exciting events took place.

The Travel Champions loan bike scheme has received very positive feedback and was recently extended to anyone who champions cycling to school.  Teaching and non-teaching staff, cooks, cleaners and even parents are eligible to apply, providing they can demonstrate a clear benefit to the school through encouraging children to cycle there.  21 schools in Moray now have safe and secure cycle parking areas.

"The Loan Bike Scheme is brilliant in getting people to use bikes - we can now encourage the kids to cycle to school too"

"Apart from the hills - it's super!"                                        Teachers

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