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Walking School Bus Progam Wins VicHealth AwardEast Gippsland’s Walking School Bus program has won the VicHealth 2005 Health Promotion Physical Activity Award. By East Gippsland Shire - 19th December 2005 - Back to News The project has introduced numerous Walking School Buses to the region and the development of a Riding School Bus to Bairnsdale.
The Buses all began operations during 2005 and the program that won the category for projects with budgets from $15,000 to $75,000.was recognised at a presentation ceremony in Melbourne recently attended by 900 people.
East Gippsland Shire’s Walking School Bus Coordinator Kaylene Wickham, Recreation Manager Al Campbell and Sherryn Hewett, a volunteer representative from Bairnsdale West Primary School, accepted the award on Council’s behalf from the State Minister for Health, The Hon Bronwyn Pike.
Ms Wickham said that East Gippsland was the only rural shire to receive an award in any of the nine major categories.
"It was a great thrill to have the efforts of our regional schools, the volunteers, the parents and the kids recognised in such a way," she said.
East Gippsland’s fleet of Walking School Buses now totals seven, two of which operate in Bairnsdale and Orbost twice a week, one in Bairnsdale West and Lucknow once a week while a riding school Bus operates from Bairnsdale 754 School and a walking bus operates at the Lake Tyers trust five days a week.
Ms Wickham was employed by the East Gippsland Shire in October 2004 to implement the Walking School Bus project.
"The objectives were to encourage more primary school children to walk safely to and from school and replace short, regular car trips with daily walking," she said
"We also wanted to support the development of local social and community networks and establish a cooperative relationship between council, primary schools, families and the community."
Shire CEO Steve Kozlowski said the award was recognition of the efforts that had been made by Kaylene Wickham, the schools, volunteers, parents and grandparents and the kids.
"It is a project that has met all its objectives and is making an important contribution the health and lifestyle of the primary school students," he said.
"At a time when there is growing community concern about school children and lack of exercise, this program is a way of encouraging valuable physical activity and is an important contribution to our community well being."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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