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Hull City star Dean Windass backs Walk To School initiative
A COUNTY-wide road safety initiative encouraging children to walk to school was launched yesterday (Thursday) at St Nicholas' Primary School in Beverley.
Schools taking part in the scheme will use teddy bears carrying backpacks full of information about road safety and the health benefits of a walk to school.
Children who walk in each day will be given the chance to look after the Journey of Life bear, Jofli, taking the privilege in turns over the year.
The scheme was due to be launched by Hull City hero Dean Windass, who is supporting the initiative, but he had to reschedule his visit to the primary school because of training commitments ahead of this weekend's match.
However, he said he is pleased to be backing the potentially life-saving scheme.
"I feel it's important to support any campaign that helps to make children safer and install an awareness in them at a young age," said the Tigers star.
Pauline Miller, school travel plan advisor for East Riding Council, said it was hoped that Jofli bear would encourage pupils to walk to school, cutting the amount of cars on the school run.
"The idea is that every child that walks to school can get to have the bear for 24 hours and in turn will write a short story, or poem about their time with the bear," she said.
"At the end of the term all the children's names will go into a draw and the winning name will get to keep the bear.
"We will monitor the number of children walking at the beginning and end of term.
"My hope is that we will find dramatic improvements and the best school would receive a visit from a life size Jofli."
Liz Pollard, headteacher at St Nicholas Primary School, said; "We're very enthusiastic for the school to be taking part in this programme and as part of our healthy schools initiative this will promote how important it is to be actively involved in walking to school.
"We've also just appointed four junior road safety officers who will promote road safety awareness with other pupils. They will organise petitions and think about ways to promote safety."
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Weather for Beverley
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: 0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 1 C to 5 C
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