Ross pupils put best foot forward in walk to school competition

Strathpeffer Primary pupils are the winners of Highland Council’s “Golden Boot Award” which encourages children to get more active by recording their number of steps walked.

In second place were last year’s Golden boot Award winners, Conon Primary with 13,532 steps per child per day. Strathpeffer won with an average daily step count of 14,775 per child per day and in third place were Strathconon Primary with 13,114 steps per child per day.

Seventeen schools in the Ross area took part in the Golden Boot Award during Walk to Schools week  (May 21st -25th). Children in primary six were issued with pedometers for one week and asked to keep a record of their steps.

Presenting the award, Highland Council Vice Convener and Wester Ross member Councillor Jean Urquhart said: “This is an excellent achievement for Strathpeffer Primary School. I hope that all the pupils who took part in the pedometer competition continue walking to help keep fit and healthy. We can all take heed from their example.”

Carolyn Ritchie, Head Teacher Strathpeffer Primary School said: “The children really took it the competition to heart. They got on really well with the challenge. They are all fairly active anyway, but made a huge effort for the week we did it – walking to school, running round the playground in the mornings and at break and lunchtime and being very energetic at home too.”

The annual competition is organised by the Highland Council’s Safer Routes to School team. School Travel Coordinator, Ailsa Campbell said: “The competition aims to encourage children to think about their activities and promote healthy choices both in and out of school time. It is one of the many initiatives being promoted by the Council’s TEC Services and aims to reduce the number of cars on the “school run”, improve roads safety, promote healthy lifestyles and reduce pollution.”

Strathpeffer Primary School were presented with the Golden boot award and will keep it for one year until they compete to retain the title in 2008. The winning team have also been given a pedometer each to take home, in the hope that they will continue to be active and healthy.