SOUTH YORKSHIRE’S MAYOR LAUNCHES 2025 WALK AND WHEEL CHALLENGE WITH LIVING STREETS FOR WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK

Published 11 March 2025 at 2:31pm

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard has launched his second Walk and Wheel Challenge for all primary schools in the region, in a special collaboration with Living Streets.

The Mayor’s Walk and Wheel Challenge 2025 takes place during Living Streets’ national Walk to School Week, between the 19 and 23 May 2025. This unique South Yorkshire collaboration means that the first 100 South Yorkshire primary schools joining the challenge will receive a free resource pack for KS1 and KS2 classes – including stickers, activity tracking charts, bookmarks and fun activity sheets.

The South Yorkshire challenge will also include a prize draw for participating schools to win scooters, bikes and cycling workshops with Ed Clancy, South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner. 

This year’s challenge builds on the successful Mayor’s Walk and Wheel Challenge in 2024, part of the Mayor’s Year of Active Travel. In total 78 schools across South Yorkshire were involved in last year’s event.
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.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “Our children deserve the best start in life, and helping kids build activity into their everyday life is a big part how we will reach that goal.  
“We know that giving children the freedom and choice to move more and move differently can help build a strong foundation for an active lifestyle, encouraging young people to develop healthy habits. 
“I’m delighted we’ve been able to work with Living Streets to develop a unique approach to their national Walk to School Week campaign here in South Yorkshire, through my Walk and Wheel Challenge. 
“Not only will this partnership make materials and resources more accessible to primary schools right across South Yorkshire it will also support our young people, families and schools to see walking, scooting and cycling to school as an obvious first choice.”

The five-day Walk and Wheel Challenge involves encouraging every primary school aged child in the region to choose to walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ to school each day. 
Walk to School Week is organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, as part of their National Walking Month campaign each May. 

This year’s challenge will see pupils take on The Great Space Walk. Meeting various colourful intergalactic friends along the way, pupils will learn via daily themes about the important reasons to walk or wheel, including mental wellbeing, physical health, sustainability, road safety and community benefits. 

Catherine Woodhead, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: 
“Walk to School Week is a wonderful opportunity for pupils across the UK to celebrate the many benefits of walking and wheeling to school. 
“Schools that take part can enjoy reduced congestion and pollution, while children reap the benefits of being active and spending quality time with friends and family. 
“We are delighted South Yorkshire schools are at the front of the queue to join us this Walk to School Week and hope they inspire others to get involved this May.”

South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner, Ed Clancy OBE, said: "Walking, wheeling, and cycling have so many benefits, and schools are key to making them part of everyday life.
"Every child should have the freedom to choose whether to walk, scoot, or bike to school—it keeps them active and builds healthy habits for life in their formative years.
"The Mayor’s Walk and Wheel Challenge is back, and this year it’s even bigger and better with Living Streets.
"We’re encouraging kids across South Yorkshire to move more, try new ways of getting around, and make everyday journeys healthier and happier."

Click here for more information or to sign up for the South Yorkshire challenge.