Walk once a Week (WoW)
The Walk once a Week (WoW) scheme has been running since 2005. Today, it helps over 300,000 children get walking across the UK.
WoW is the largest national walk to school programme. An independent evaluation of the scheme found that schools taking part enjoy walking rates 9% higher than the national average.
How does WoW work?
The scheme can be run during any term. Each class records their daily journey on the wallcharts and at the end of each month every child that has walked at least once each week, is rewarded with a collectable WoW badge. These popular badges are designed by children themselves in one of the largest children’s art competitions and are manufactured in the UK using recycled yoghurt pot material.
To join, take a look at our getting started guide, then all you need to do is to order some classroom resources to get started.
Our new summer resources see Strider complete his 'Around the World' journey, stopping at Easter Island, Brazil, USA and Canada. Check out our resources at the Living Streets shop. You can also order through our order form.
Lost badges
We know how much our badges mean to children who've earned them, so if you happen to lose or break one, we may be able to replace it for you (if we have it in stock). If you'd like to enquire about a replacement badge, please email walktoschool@livingstreets.org.uk.
Getting started with WoW
Whether you're a teacher, parent, or local authority, it's easy to get involved in WoW. All you need to get started are WoW resources, such as badges and wallcharts, and to follow our guidance to running WoW below.
Download our step by step guide to starting WoW!
There is lots of information in the above document but the 8 key steps are:
Step 1: Visit the website and sign up to our enews - see the top right of this page. You may also wish to contact us at walktoschool@livingstreets.org.uk to find out if your local authority and schools in your area are already involved in WoW.
Step 2: Order resources to get started.
Step 3: Tell everyone about WoW
Step 4: Run a launch event to kickstart WoW!
Step 5: Run WoW
Step 6: Develop WoW
Step 7: Take part in the badge design competition
Step 8: Maintain momentum
Our top tip for running WoW is strong communication; make sure everyone understands what it is and how to join in.
Don’t forget, there’s a lot of support out there for you to get started! Contact your local authority if you are a parent, or your child’s school, to see how they can help.
If you are a parent, and you’re not sure who to talk to at your child's school, try the PE teacher, travel plan lead, healthy schools lead, PSHE lead or the head teacher.
WoW Monitors
Don’t forget the pupils play a leading role in WoW. Teachers are increasingly recruiting WoW monitors (who are often older children) to help run WoW. This helps children with numeracy, monitoring and citizenship.
We have a booklet for WoW monitors explaining exactly what needs to be done. We even have a WoW monitor badge that can be given to the children who monitor the scheme for you.
It couldn’t be easier.
Proof WoW works
In 2009, we launched an independent report evaluating our WoW (Walk Once a Week) scheme, which has shown the measurable positive impact the scheme has on increasing schools' walking levels. Read on for some impressive facts and figures!
Highlights
- Just under a fifth of pupils surveyed reported that they started walking because of WoW.
- In the WoW schools surveyed, an average of 59% of children walked to school on that day. In the National Travel Survey 2008 on average, 48% of primary school children walk to school, which indicates a higher incidence of walking in WoW schools.
- The evidence from teachers and classroom staff is that WoW is easy to administrate in the classroom, and that the children understand it and want to participate too.
- On average, 28% of children that WoW, take part in the WoW design. Scaled up across participating WoW schools this equates to approximately 128,000 pupils producing art for the badge competition, which makes this one of the largest art competitions in the UK.
- Approximately 67% of children surveyed reported that they walk with a family member to school, which shows that WoW and walking to school doesn’t just involve children, but also other members of their family.
- Strategically WoW helps Local Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and Local Strategic Partnerships achieve Health based targets.
- Children engage rapidly and easily with WoW and for the younger children the process of walking, logging or recording their walk, and receiving badges is fun with a high value placed on the badge reward system.
Email walktoschool@livingstreets.org.uk for more details on the report.
Want to get started with WoW? See how.
Downloads
Ways to fund WoW
In the current financial climate with budgets being cut, local authorities and schools are showing that there are lots of innovative ways to fund Walk Once a Week (WoW).
We have developed our Walk Once a Week (WoW) fundraising toolkit which has been designed to give you information and ideas on fundraising within your school to help support and sustain your involvement in the Living Streets' Walk to School campaigns. Whilst primarily focusing on the WoW scheme, everything can easily be adapted to support our other scheme such as Walk to School Week, and Walk to School Month.
Throughout this document you will find useful information on the WoW scheme itself and ready made templates, routes to fundraising, and tips for approaching local businesses to ask for their support.
Download the Walk Once a Week (WoW) fundraising toolkit.
Downloadable sections:
Writing to a local business template letter (MS Word file)
Sponsorship form template (MS Word file)
Fund-o-meter template (pdf format)
