Promoting pupils’ pedal power

WHAT’s your preferred way to travel to work or school every morning?

Alfredton Primary School is one of many groups encouraging the community to get in the habit of cycling, and will see many of their 530 pupils take part in National Ride to School Day tomorrow, Friday, 25 March.

Their school council’s head of community and engagement Natasha Driscoll said cycling is a great form of exercise for kids, a fun hobby for them to enjoy with friends, and a more sustainable transport method.

“Our school is a big promoter of healthy living, and we feel we’re in a small community where it’s safe for them to get active and out riding their bikes in the morning,” she said.

“We will be conducting a survey on Friday to find out how the kids got to school that day to set a baseline, and we will use that data to actively look to change behaviours and increase the number of kids riding and walking in future to lessen our carbon footprint.

“Next year, we hope we can say we’ve improved.”

Ten-year-old Lilli enjoys riding with her buddies and will cycle to school tomorrow morning.

“Riding your bike to school is healthy for your body,” she said. “It’s also often faster than driving to school in the busy traffic.”

Ms Driscoll said National Ride to School Day also creates a chance for more families to connect.

“Many newer parents don’t know what’s going on in the school, especially with the impact of COVID in the last two years, so we’re using this event as an opportunity to reengage with the wider community,” she said.