Beecroft Academy is riding high
Tuesday, 29 January 2019
Whilst the festive season might seem like a distant memory for most of us, there was still a little bit of Christmas sparkle at Beecroft Academy in Dunstable last week.
Before Christmas, children across Central Bedfordshire took part in the 2018 Santa Challenge. Last Friday, one lucky pupil was announced as the overall challenge winner: Katharine Pake was presented with a brand-new Frog bike in reward for the amazing number of miles she clocked up during the Santa challenge.
This interschool challenge, (which we fund) is organised by sustainable transport charity Sustrans and aims to encourage more children and their parents to walk, scoot or cycle to school as a more healthy and simple way to travel.
Councilor Ian Dalgarno, our Executive Member for Community Services, said: "When I was growing up, everyone cycled or walked to school. These are fun and easy ways to stay fit and healthy, and it means fewer cars making school runs which helps to improve the air quality around schools.
"Children are advised to participate in a minimum of 60 minutes of physical exercise per day: cycling, scooting and walking to school can be a fun and easy way to help achieve this.
"Many individual schools made it to Lapland. And overall, Central Bedfordshire schools logged around 100,000 miles during the competition. That’s the equivalent of circling the world five times, or 68 trips to see Santa in Lapland!"
Fellow Beecroft Academy pupils filled the assembly hall with cheers and applause as Katharine went up to accept her prize.
Deputy Head Teacher at Beecroft Academy, Mr Hackett said: "Well done to Katharine and all the other pupils who took part. We’re fortunate to have such an active school community here at Beecroft Academy, and I’m really delighted that so many of our pupils, parents and staff participated in this year’s Santa Challenge."