Big Pedal: 25th March - 5th April

This year's challenge will run from 25^th March to 5^th April. Sustrans Big Pedal is free to enter and registration in now open for 2019.

The theme for this year's challenge is the human body and, by entering, you receive a free themed wallchart and other classroom resources. The wallchart comes with a set of fact cards for pupils to learn fun and inspirational facts about how the body works. On each day of the challenge, schools compete to see who can record the greatest proportion of their pupils, staff and parents cycling, walking, scooting or using a wheelchair to school. Your school's best five days will determine your final position, but you can log journeys on all ten days if you wish. For schools unable to take part in the main event we have a one-day challenge, which can include cycling, walking and scooting activities in the school day as well as on the journey to school.

In Leicestershire we will be holding our own Big Pedal competition. Any school who logs a journey onto the Big Pedal website will be entered into a draw to win a scooter storage pod for your school. The draw will take place upon the completion of the Big Pedal campaign.

Sustrans Big Pedal is open to individual classes as well as whole schools. There are fantastic prizes up for grabs on each day of the challenge including equipment and accessories to help schools travel actively to school. There is also the option to join in on Superhero day, a fancy dress-based day to celebrate the finale of the Big Pedal. Superhero Day is a great way to involve all pupils in the Big Pedal even if they don't cycle, walk or scoot. It is also the perfect day to make sure all your journeys are logged to the Big Pedal website.

Sustrans Big Pedal helps children to be healthier and can visibly reduce traffic at your school gate! In 2018, over 1,200 schools made 989,414 journeys to school by bike and scooter and 82% of schools surveyed said pupils continued to cycle or scoot to school following the event.

For more information and to register your class, please www.bigpedal.org.uk. Any questions on the Big Pedal, or active travel in general please get in touch.

Tom Chape, Safe and Sustainable Travel Officer, Leicestershire County Council

Tel: 0116 305 4279 or 07843340199

Email: tom.chape@leics.gov.uk