Mayor invests £55,000 to get toddlers and young children walking across West Yorkshire
A new £55,000 programme to encourage children aged 2 - 5 to walk to and from nursery has been launched by West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin.
9 January 2023
A new £55,000 programme to encourage children aged 2 - 5 to walk to and from nursery has been launched by West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin.
West Yorkshire is one of the first regions in the UK to launch a dedicated early years walking programme, which will support 30 nurseries and schools throughout 2023. This will help support over 900 young children and encourage families to commit to healthy travel, instilling positive habits that can last a lifetime.
The programme will be launched by the Mayor today (Tuesday 10 January) as she visits Lapage Primary School and Nursery in Bradford. The nursery is one of the first places to benefit from the scheme, with over 50 children taking part in a special assembly to celebrate the launch.
The scheme is being delivered in partnership with walking charity, Living Streets. It will deliver a dedicated ‘Little Feet’ programme - working with children, schools, and their families to encourage those who don’t usually walk to school to give it a go and see the benefits they can experience.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
“We know that small changes to our travel – like ditching the car to walk to nursery – can have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing. Walking can help save money, tackle congestion and address the climate emergency.
“We want to give our youngsters the very best start so they can live happy and healthy lives. Therefore I’m delighted to launch this important programme which will help families in West Yorkshire reap the benefits of walking.”
Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said:
“Encouraging healthy travel particularly in young children such as the Little Feet programme is something that we are pleased to see in Bradford. Lapage Primary School and Nursery are setting a great example embracing the scheme and we hope that more young families in Bradford will join and take part.”
Stephen Edwards, Chief Executive, Living Streets said:
“Little Feet is an enjoyable way for children to learn about the importance of being active and begin to develop healthy habits for life.
“Pre-schoolers should be active for at least three hours a day to stay healthy. Walking to or from nursery is an easy way to get those minutes adding up.
“We are delighted to be launching Little Feet in Bradford and across West Yorkshire more widely and look forward to seeing the difference it makes to these children, their families and their local environment.”
Miss Bhambra, Assistant Headteacher, Lapage Primary School, said:
“We’re really excited to be joined by the Mayor and Living Streets to celebrate the steps our pupils and their families are taking to get more active. Walking to school gives our children the best possible start to the day, helping them to move more and providing opportunities to meet other families. The Little Feet challenge will empower our children to make healthy choices and do their bit to look after their local environment.”
Register your nursery or school's interest in this scheme by emailing cityconnect@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.