Walking School Bus at Murrabit

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout Walk to School month, students and teachers from Murrabit Group School are forming a 'walking (and riding) school bus' from their Drop Park Walk point to the school.

It goes to show that even a school in a small, rural community where most children travel by bus children can still participate in the VicHealth Walk to School program.

The Drop Park Walk point encourages families to drop their children off allowing them to walk to school. Footpath stencilling along the way makes the trip to school exciting and fun for children. They also get to actively travel to school with their friends.

The Walk to School program promotes the importance of children being active and healthy in their communities and fitting at least 60 minutes of physical activity into their daily lives. Getting actively to school, the school bus, or while at school not only helps keep children fit and healthy, it also helps them to stay alert, to concentrate and improves learning outcomes.

The Gannawarra VicHealth Walk to School program is rolled out across the Gannawarra Shire as a Gannawarra Local Agency Meeting (GLAM) partnership project. This is a partnership between Gannawarra Shire Council, Northern District Community Health, Kerang District Health, Cohuna District Hospital, Mallee District Aboriginal Service, Victoria Police, Mallee Family Care, with support from the Southern Mallee Primary Care Partnership.

Walk to School is a VicHealth initiative. For more information go to: www.walktoschool.vic.gov.au

Follow along with the Gannawarra VicHealth Walk to School program: www.facebook.com/HealthyGannawarra and our Gannawarra Walk to School BLOG: www.gannawarrawalkstoschool.blogspot.com.au

Tune into radio station 98.7 MixxFM for Gannawarra VicHealth Walk to School messages throughout October.