Christmas appeal 2007 - play a part in Park & Stride!

Children walking to school

What is the appeal for?

We want to help set up 'Park & Stride' schemes at 500 schools across the country.

As one of the organisations behind the successful 'National Walk to School Campaign', we believe in the benefits of encouraging children to walk to school. But we recognise that it's not always possible to walk all the way - which is where Park & Stride can help.

Under these schemes, children are dropped off at a safe designated site, a distance from the school (perhaps a supermarket car park), and then they walk the last stretch.

Park & Stride is:

• a practical way to build physical exercise into the school journey.
• not limited by how far the child lives from the school.
• proven to move traffic away from the school entrance (which is not designed for cars) into a car park (which is!).
• a local learning experience.

But don't just take our word for it! Here's some facts from a recent survey by BRAKE (the road safety charity) of over 16,000 pupils and over 650 teachers across the UK.

• 75% of children said they would walk or cycle to and from school if they could.
• 61% of children think the roads around their school are dangerous.
• Only 1 in 7 pupils said their preferred method of getting to school is by car.
• Teachers said only a quarter of schools have a speed limit of 20mph outside them.

How will this appeal make a difference?

We want to create a resource pack of ideas and good practice for schools so they can set up their own Park & Stride in partnership with local businesses. We hope to help get 500 schemes up and running by the Easter break, so children can benefit from them over the summer term.

We strongly believe Park & Stride will help to:

• reduce school run congestion.
• encourage walking to school.
• fight childhood obesity.

You can also make a difference on your doorstep by nominating a local school to receive one of the finished packs *. This is a chance to make a positive difference for children and neighbourhoods across the country, but we need your help to make it happen...

How can you help?

It couldn't be easier to make a donation to this appeal - you can either:

• Donate online via: www.livingstreets.org.uk


• Call us on: 020 7820 1010
• Send a cheque, postal order or cash to: Living Streets (Park & Stride Appeal), 31 - 33 Bondway, London. SW8 1SJ

You can also help with this appeal by spreading the word about it to friends and family, as well as by promoting it locally, for example by writing to your local paper.