Gunton CPS promote walking to school

CHILDREN at Gunton Primary School in Lowestoft have been taking part in a poster competition to promote walking to school.

Suffolk County Council is encouraging parents to leave their cars behind and to walk with their children to school in a bid to promote healthier lifestyles. The scheme has the added bonus of reducing traffic and parking problems outside schools, and increasing safety for pupils within the area of the school.

Good road sense is also being highlighted with road safety officer Ann Battershall visiting the school to pass on safety messages to pupils.

At Gunton local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Sue Kershaw has been working closely with the primary school and, as the children went back after the Easter break, the school gates were closed to all traffic except for staff parking and permit holders.

As part of the new initiative, children at Gunton Primary - in Gainsborough Drive - were asked to design a poster to promote walking to school and eight-year-old Maia Brown won the top prize, a family pass to Pleasurewood Hills, kindly donated by the popular theme park.

Around 60 pupils entered the competition and they were rewarded, courtesy of the Leisure Way Tesco store, with goodies including packs of crayons.

PCSO Kershaw said they all deserved their prizes.

'The standard of entries was very high - we were overwhelmed at how many there were and how good they all were - and Maia has done very well to take the top prize,' she said. The winning poster, based on Maia's design, has now been laminated and posted around the school to remind parents and pupils. We would like to thank Tesco and Pleasurewood Hills for donating the prizes.'

The initiative has also been supported by Gunton Park Residents Association and members of the School Travel Plan working party.