Pupils at Bourne Elsea Park C of E Primary Academy in Bourne have received a donation of hi-vis kit bags from Barratt and David Wilson Homes, to help them shine bright while walking to and from school this winter.
The Lincolnshire housebuilder has given the school 70 kit bags for its pupils to wear, ensuring they can be easily seen on the roads as the darker nights draw in. According to figures from the 2021 National Travel Survey (NTS) and 2020-2021 Active Lives Survey (ALS), the number of children walking or cycling to school is falling.
In 2021, 46% of children aged between five and 16 walked or cycled to school, a decrease from 50% in 2020. Barratt and David Wilson Homes aims to help children safely commute to school on foot and supports the Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which features a target to increase the percentage of children that usually walk to school to 55% in 2025.
Alex Worrall, Year 6 Teacher at Bourne Elsea Park C of E Primary Academy, said: “The kit bags are absolutely brilliant and the children love using them to help them stay safe when out and about in the dark.” The homebuilder’s The Willows and Barratt Homes at Bourne developments are located close to Bourne Elsea Park C of E Primary Academy, and the donation of hi-vis kit bags are part of Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ ongoing commitment to the local community.
Managing Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Midlands,Mark Cotes, said: “We want to ensure the pupils in the local communities remain visible now the darker nights are here, and our donation will hopefully still encourage them to walk to school safely. Each year we aim to help local school children in their efforts to commute on foot, and the kit bags have proven to be both effective and practical.”
