Roger Gale encourages children in North Thanet to take part in Walk to School Month this October

Pupils from East Kent will join thousands of children from across the UK and over 40 countries worldwide this October to celebrate the benefits of walking to school during International Walk to School Month this October and Roger Gale MP will be encouraging young people to take part.

Walking to school regularly is a fantastic way to help reach the recommended daily 60 minutes of activity to benefit a child's health. Over the past two decades, the number of children who walk to school has dropped from 62% to 48%, with an enormous 43% being driven to school in cars - despite the fact that the majority of primary school pupils live within a mile and a half of their school.

By encouraging families to ditch the car keys and get to school on foot, this Month will show that its not just PE lessons that are needed to give children the healthiest start in life - it's how active they are in their daily life that really matters.

Teachers often report that those pupils who walk to school are more attentive in class. And it's no surprise - the levels of physical activity undertaken by primary school age children are often greatly overestimated by parents. By simply walking to school and back each day, children will already be working towards reaching the 60 minutes of activity as recommended.

National charity Living Streets works to create safe, attractive and enjoyable streets around the UK. They run the highly successful Walk to School campaign, which encourages children, parents and teachers up and down the country to leave their cars at home and walk to school.

Roger Gale said: “I myself walked a couple of miles to and from school every day and I know from personal experience that it is a brilliant way to get some physical activity and some fresh air into your day. When children are bundled from front door to car door, they miss out on the opportunity to socialise with friends, get to know their community, and burn off some energy before getting their heads down in the books. I'd encourage everyone in my constituency to join in, and fit a bit more walking in this October."

Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets said:
"If we are to avoid the Government's prediction of a quarter of our children being obese by 2050, we need to start making changes to our lifestyle now. We would love everyone who normally drives the school run to use this month as an excuse to try walking. We think you'll be amazed at how enjoyable a regular walk can be; a chance to spend real quality time together, and reap health rewards for all the family."