Saint Paul’s Catholic High School is excited to announce its participation in the Greater Manchester Walking Festival, taking place from May 19-23. This five-day walking challenge encourages students to travel actively to school every day of the week, promoting numerous benefits for their mental and physical health, sustainability, road safety, community engagement and building independence and confidence.
Mental Health Benefits
Walking or wheeling to school is a fantastic way for children to clear their heads and lift their spirits. Arriving at school happy, refreshed, and ready to learn can significantly improve their overall mental well-being.
Physical Health Benefits
Walking to school is excellent for children’s physical health. It helps them understand the incredible impact movement can have on their bodies, promoting a healthier lifestyle and encouraging regular exercise.
Sustainability
The festival emphasises the importance of sustainability. Children will learn how walking to school can positively impact the planet by reducing carbon emissions and promoting cleaner air.
The walking festival helps reduce morning traffic, congestion, carbon emissions, and pollution. In the long run, this leads to cleaner air and fewer cars on the roads.
Road Safety
Walking to school helps reduce the number of cars on the road, making streets less busy and safer for everyone. Children will learn about the importance of road safety and how their actions contribute to a safer community.
Community Engagement
Walking to school provides an opportunity for students to get to know their surroundings and the people who live around them. It highlights the important role everyone plays as part of their community.
Inclusive Participation
As a walking charity, the festival aims to remove barriers to active travel. It supports students with special educational needs and disabilities, including travel by wheelchair or mobility scooter. Encouraging parents to park a little way from the school reduces congestion and air pollution at the school gates, improving road safety. Students can walk or wheel the last few minutes into school.
Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle
The walking challenge aims to encourage more children to walk as a form of exercise, helping them reach their recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. It educates them about the importance of regular exercise and its numerous health benefits, including improved focus, concentration, cognitive function, mood, and physical development.
