Families in Kelsall are being urged to put on their walking shoes and leave the car at home for the journey to school this autumn.

Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey is supporting Walk to School Month and has donated 60 high-visibility wristbands to the pupils of Kelsall Primary School, to help keep the youngsters safe on their journey.

The campaign takes place every October and asks parents to walk their children to school – with the aim of promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing the number of cars on the road. This year, the initiative will see more than 13,000 wristbands provided to children across the country.

Principal at Kelsall Primary School David Wearing said: “Children really do benefit from walking to school – not only is the exercise healthy for them, but it also helps reduce the amount of traffic outside school, making it much safer.”

According to Living Streets, the charity that organises the Walk to School campaign in the UK, only 21% of boys and 16% of girls meet the current recommended daily level of exercise, which is 60 minutes of physical activity.

A generation ago, 70% of youngsters walked to school, but now it’s fewer than half – and during morning peak traffic times, one in five cars on the road are taking children to school, contributing to congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions.

Sales manager for Taylor Wimpey North West Stuart Craig added: “We are proud to be supporting this great campaign for another year. Walking is a great form of physical activity for youngsters to get into, and we hope our wristbands will add some fun to the journey, as well as keep them safe on the way.”

Kelsall Primary School is located just a short distance from Taylor Wimpey’s Applewood Green development.

Mr Wearing added: “We are incredibly grateful to Taylor Wimpey for this generous donation, which will help raise the profile of Walk to School Month among pupils and parents alike.”