SCHOOL NAME press release
For immediate release: INSERT DATE
Contact: INSERT SCHOOL PRESS CONTACT
SCHOOL NAME gearing up for Sustrans Big Pedal 2018
SCHOOL NAME in AREA is encouraging children, teachers and parents to jump on their bikes and scooters for Sustrans Big Pedal 2018 - a UK-wide event to get more young people cycling and scooting to school, backed by world record breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont.
Sustrans Big Pedal 2018, which runs from Monday 23 April to Friday 4 May, will see pupils, parents and teachers across the UK leave their cars at home and get on their bikes and scooters for their journeys to and from school.
Organised by walking and cycling charity Sustrans, and sponsored by Micro Scooters and Tonik, the Big Pedal is the largest competition of its kind in the UK.
During the 10 days, participating primary and secondary schools will compete with one another to make the most journeys by bike or scooter.
Endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont, who holds the Guinness World Record for cycling around the world in 78 days, is backing the Big Pedal 2018.
After 18,000 miles on the road last summer, covering 240 miles a day and taking in 16 countries, Mark smashed the previous record by 44 days.
The theme of this year’s Big Pedal is ‘Around the world in 10 days’, with pupils tracking their progress on a map of the world, learning about some of the countries Mark passed through on his trip.
Mark said: “I’m delighted to be supporting the Big Pedal 2018. It’s a great initiative for getting more young people on their bikes and scooters, building their confidence and independence in a fun and engaging way.
“Encouraging young people to cycle and scoot from an early age not only boosts physical and mental health, it also helps build good habits for independent and active travel into teenage and adult life.
“I hope as many schools as possible will take part in this year’s ‘Around the World in 10 days’ Sustrans’ Big Pedal challenge.”
According to government guidelines, children and young people aged 5 to 18 need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day (1).
Walking, scooting or cycling to school is one way of boosting children’s activity levels and helping them maintain a healthy weight.
Furthermore, teachers find that pupils who walk and cycle arrive at school more relaxed, alert and ready to start the day than those who travel by car (2).
NAME, TITLE, SCHOOL, said: [SUGGESTED QUOTE]: “We’re really excited to be taking part in Sustrans Big Pedal. We hope that by encouraging our children to walk, cycle and scoot to school over the next two weeks we will see a reduction in congestion and pollution around the school gates, as well as helping the children feel healthier and happier.”
Xavier Brice, CEO at Sustrans, said: “At 1.6 miles the average primary school journey is a distance that can be walked, scooted or cycled as an easy way of building more physical activity into our busy lives (3).
“As well as being fun, Big Pedal can help kick-start entire families into leading more active lives, while reducing congestion and air pollution around the school gates.
“Although the competition runs for just two weeks, it can be a catalyst for long-term changes in the way pupils, parents and teachers travel to and from school.”
Last year nearly 1,700 schools registered to take part, with teachers, parents, siblings and pupils making more than a million journeys to school by bike or scooter.
The Big Pedal 2018 is open to individual classes as well as whole schools, with hundreds of thousands of pupils expected to take part.
Ask your child’s school to sign up to Sustrans Big Pedal 2018. For more information visit
Follow Sustrans
Twitter @sustrans #bigpedal
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NAME, TITLE, SCHOOL
Telephone: XXXX E-mail: XXXX
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Notes to Editor
(1) Physical activity guidelines for children and young people (5-18 years)
(2) Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES - 2012) Evaluation of Sustrans' sustainable transport infrastructure work surrounding schools.
(3) National Travel Survey 2014 (England)
About Sustrans
Sustrans is the charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle. We connect people and places, create liveable neighbourhoods, transform the school run and deliver a happier, healthier commute. Join us on our journey.
Sustrans provide free information for schools, parents, pupils, councils and anybody else interested in school travel initiatives. For more information visit
Sustrans is a registered charity no. 326550 (England and Wales) SCO39263 (Scotland).
About Micro Scooters
Micro Scooters is the UK’s leading scooter brand, with over a million children in the UK owning one. Adult scooters are now also a huge part of everyday life with double digit growth in this area in the last two years alone. Micro Scooters UK was founded in 2004. Just over a decade on, Micro Scooters have become a ubiquitous part of urban life – even being included in the ONS’s inflation basket contents as of 2017. Micro Scooters runs a number of schemes to promote safer scooting, support schools, and get scooters to underprivileged children. For more information visit
About Tonik
Tonik Energy is a gas and electricity supplier, doing things differently. It’s a renewable energy supplier aiming to halve customers’ energy bills by 2022 using smart technology. Tonik Energy is proud to partner Sustrans. People can help support Sustrans by switching.