Walking Competition winners 2010
SCHOOL CELEBRATES WORLD CUP WALKING TRIUMPH JULY 2010
A DONCASTER school is celebrating after winning a football-themed walking competition linked to the World Cup finals in South Africa.Children at Tickhill St Mary’s C of E Primary School will be treated to a fun-packed cycling activity day organised by community interest company, Get Cycling, where they will have the chance to learn about the health benefits of cycling and get to try out a wide selection of unusual bikes.The Walk to the World Cup competition was part of NHS Doncaster’s Get Doncaster Walking campaign and run in conjunction with Doncaster Council and the Get Active and Flying High School Sport Partnerships.It saw 29 primary schools in the borough competing to see which could be the first to actively travel – walk, cycle, scooter, park and stride – the equivalent of 5,776 miles from Doncaster to Johannesburg.Each school was matched to a country taking part in the tournament. They competed against each other in matches where goals were scored in relation to miles accumulated according to the proportion of children in the school actively travelling.Children who live too far to walk or cycle to school were also included in the competition. Each school was given a map showing a ‘park and stride’ zone in the shape of a football, which they had to park outside of and walk the rest of the way.Tickhill St Mary’s (Japan) emerged victorious from a nail-biting penalty shootout with Owston Park Primary (Serbia) after a thrilling 5-5 draw in the final. Children from the school covered a total of 6,100 miles and would have reached Johannesburg on 9 July.As well as the cycling activity day the school also wins a trophy and each child will receive a special competition T-shirt. Andy Picken, one of NHS Doncaster’s Public Health Development Workers, said: “The competition has been a great success with schools encouraging children to actively travel. This helps to increase levels of physical activity as well as reducing traffic congestion around schools and contributing to Doncaster’s Healthy Schools programme.“We have been amazed by how well all the schools that took part have done and we hope this can become a regular competition.”NHS Doncaster is encouraging all age groups across the borough to make physical activity part of their every day lives in order to improve their health and wellbeing".
Owston Park Primary came second however and won a trophy, had a special presentation assembly and games , certificate and some new cycle storage that is being installed during the Summer holidays ready for the new term in September 2010.