Published: Tuesday, 20th May 2025
Medway’s Walkin’ N Wheelin' Challenge kicked off this week, an exciting local initiative that encourages active travel to local schools over a five-day period.
The challenge takes place during National Walk to School Week which runs from Monday, 19 to Friday, 23 May. Schools will compete to see who can get the highest percentage of students journeying to school via active travel (walking, wheeling, cycling, scooting or park and stride).
Winners will be recognised in both primary and secondary school categories, with the top three performing schools, as well as the most improved school, winning Halfords gift vouchers and a personalised certificate.
Medway’s Walkin’ N Wheelin’ challenge follows on from the recent national active travel competition, the Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel.
During the Big Walk and Wheel, Medway schools recorded a combined 48,588 active journeys to school, an impressive 84 per cent increase in comparison to 2024’s participation. There were also some exceptional national placements, including The Victory Academy finishing in the top 10 nationally in the secondary school category and St Peter’s Infant School and Twydall Primary School and Nursey placing 11th and 12th nationally in the ‘very small’ and ‘large primary’ categories.
An amazing achievement
Cllr Simon Curry, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Strategic Regeneration, said: “Congratulations to all the schools in Medway who took part in the Big Walk and Wheel, making almost 50,000 active journeys between them is an amazing achievement!
“It’s fantastic to see so many schools encouraging active travel wherever possible, and competitions like this, and our Walkin’ N Wheelin’ challenge, are a great way of engaging with families and helping to build these positive habits in our younger residents from an early age. For those taking part in this week’s Walkin’ N Wheelin’ challenge, I want to wish you the very best of luck!”