St Joseph's pupils team up with Mayor to walk to school

The pupils will meet up with the Mayor and walk to school on Wednesday next, in an effort to encourage more people to ditch the car in favour of cycling or walking.

The event is part of an ASDAN Environmental Award accredited through Derry City Council's Wildlife and Wellbeing Programme.

The first year of the programme is in partnership with Sustrans and in subsequent years the pupils will focus on other environmental problems such biodiversity loss.

A series of events have been organised as part of Sustainable Transport Week that runs from Monday, 25th, to Friday, 29th October.

The Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood is fully behind the initiative and believes it's a unique opportunity for pupils to discover at first hand the benefits of walking or cycling to school and getting a better understanding of the problems facing the local environment and biodiversity as a result of increased traffic.

"This is a superb initiative that really encourages pupils to examine the issues concerning the environment and what they can do to protect our local wildlife species and environment.

"It actively encourages them to explore the problems of traffic congestion and consider the benefits of using alternative methods to get to school," he commented.

The Mayor will be joining pupils from the school when they take part in a Walk to School Day event next Wednesday 27th October, departing at 8.20 am from Bull Park.

On Thursday, 28th October, students at the school will be encouraged to cycle to school.

Annie Mullan, Wildlife education officer, Derry City Council, welcomed the involvement of St. Joseph's Boys in the initiative.

She said: "St. Joseph's are one of the first schools to tackle environmental problems at this level and linking them across many subjects and actively working to make the project relate directly to the pupils everyday lives.

"They have fully embraced the initiative and are actively working to positively change the attitudes of pupils."

Ross McGill from Sustans said the main goal of the event is to draw attention to traffic congestion in and around St. Joe's as well as highlight the health benefits of walking and cycling to school.