Central Bedfordshire pupils complete their virtual journey to Lapland!
Friday, 20 December 2024
Pupils have once again embraced the festive spirit by taking part in the annual Santa Challenge, an active travel initiative that encourages children to walk, cycle, or scoot to school.
Over 2 weeks, from 25 November to 6 December, schools aimed to travel the virtual distance to Santa’s home in Lapland—an incredible 2,000 miles!
This year’s challenge was a resounding success, with pupils and their families reducing car journeys and making active travel part of their daily routine. Thanks to their fantastic efforts, schools not only achieved their mileage targets but also helped make their communities safer, healthier and more environmentally friendly.
Highlights of the challenge were:
- 5,652 pupils participated, tracking their journeys using class record sheets
- together, they covered a remarkable 80,786 journeys — well beyond the original goal
- 36 schools celebrated their achievements with special assemblies and a prize scooter at each for one lucky pupil
This year marked the eleventh anniversary of the Santa Challenge, which continues to grow in popularity.
Reflecting on the initiative’s success, Councillor Tracey Wye, our Executive Member for Sustainability and Climate Resilience, said:
We are so proud of the incredible efforts of pupils, parents and schools across Central Bedfordshire. The Santa Challenge is a wonderful way to encourage active travel, promote healthy habits and reduce congestion at school gates. The enthusiasm shown this year proves how small actions can make a big difference for our communities and the environment.
Benefits beyond the challenge are:
- healthier pupils: walking, cycling, or scooting to school boosted physical activity and wellbeing
- cleaner air: fewer cars meant less pollution near schools, improving air quality for all
- community spirit: the challenge brought families, teachers, and pupils together for a common goal
Schools and families are encouraged to keep up their active travel habits and make every journey count.