THE MAYOR'S WALK AND WHEEL CHALLENGE
Save the date and join the challenge
May 18, 2026 - May 22, 2026
After 2 successful years with over 220 schools taking part, the Mayor’s Walk and Wheel Challenge is back for 2026.
Our strategy and schools
In September 2025 we published our Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Strategy (PDF 22MB), which places schools at the heart.
Why? Because building healthy habits early creates lifelong benefits.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard has announced his third Walk and Wheel Challenge for all primary schools in the region, in a special collaboration with Living Streets - with even more prizes and bonus challenges.
The Mayor’s Walk and Wheel Challenge 2026 takes place during Living Streets’ national Walk to School Week, between the 18 and 22 May 2026. The unique South Yorkshire collaboration means that the first 100 South Yorkshire primary schools who aren't already enrolled in Walk to School challenge (WOW) to join the challenge will receive a free resource pack for KS1 and KS2 classes – including stickers, activity tracking charts, bookmarks and fun activity sheets.
If you are already taking part in the (WOW) you’ll already be tracking your walking, wheeling and cycling trips electronically and won’t need a pack. However, you can still sign up for the Mayor's Walk and Wheel Challenge to get SYMCA resources, be entered into the prize draw, and have the chance to win fantastic prizes - including a special cycling workshop with Olympic gold medallist and South Yorkshire’s Active Lives Commissioner, Ed Clancy OBE.
The Walk and Wheel Challenge encourages every primary school child in South Yorkshire to walk, wheel or cycle to school each day to become more active and healthier.
The challenge forms part of the Mayor’s key manifesto commitment to make South Yorkshire the best place in the country to walk, wheel and cycle for our children, with an ambitious plan for active travel with schools at its heart.
Living Streets’ shop page offers additional resources to make this Walk to School Week even more fun. From Walk to School banners, limited edition badges, to Strider mascot toys, make the most of your Walk to School Week! These resources are suitable for schools already taking part in WOW who want to offer an extra reward to those who walk to school every day of Walk to School Week.
Themes and activities to be announced
What's included in the resource packs
Your class will work together to make as many active journeys as possible. Pupils will be tracking their progress each day on the fun and interactive classroom wallchart.
Individual activity diaries, daily stickers and end of week pupil rewards will complement this activity, reinforcing the benefits and keeping children engaged.
Classroom packs contain resources for up to 30 pupils and are available in KS1/P1-3 and KS2/P4-7 variants, featuring differing age-appropriate curriculum-aligned activities.
Inside each pack you'll find:
- Teacher guidance
- One double-sided classroom wallchart/ pledge poster
- Daily stickers for pupils and wallchart
- 30 pupil activity diaries
- 30 end of week pupil rewards
Don’t forget the first 100 schools to sign up will receive their packs for free!
More resources for Schools
Walking, Wheeling and Cycling in South Yorkshire
Walking bubble map
We have created a map where you can search for your school, which will show a 5 minute walking bubble. Then encourage parents, carers and children to park up or hop off buses at the edge of the bubble and walk the last part of their journey.