|
The Bowden Brompton Community School in Adelaide will today receive the national Award for an Educational Institution for Innovation in Encouraging Cycling to School for its program that has resulted in 40% of students regularly riding to school.
The presentation will be made in Canberra at this year’s Australian Bicycling Achievement Awards to be opened by Heart Foundation CEO (ACT) Tony Stubbs and with the key note address from Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and
Local Government, Maxine McKew.
“Bowden Brompton Community School provides an educational option for
students who have been disengaged from mainstream schooling for varied
and often complex reasons such as significant trauma in their lives,”
said Stephen Hodge, spokesperson for the Cycling Promotion
Fund.
School principal, Garry Garnaut, says “The program succeeds because it is a positive learning experience that engages the students”.
“The passion of our teachers is the key ingredient and the program has made literacy and science learning fun and relevant for the childreno the point that they forget they are engaged in school work,” he added.
“The cycling program focuses on building links with the community through physical activity and social interaction. Encouraging cycling to school promotes independence and self confidence and the results speak for themselves, with close to 100% attendance and 40% of students regularly riding to school,” added Stephen Hodge.
The school uses a range of strategies to build sustained participation in cycling amongst its students. Ride to school days promote early engagement which is then reinforced with a ‘work for a bike’ scheme, bike maintenance lessons, a bike parking shed and student activities such as designing and building their own dirt cycling track in school grounds.
“The Bowden Brompton Community School program has achieved significant outcomes by focusing on the bicycle as a tool to provide independence, physical activity and greater engagement at school for students who would otherwise be significantly disadvantaged in their
educational journey,” said Hodge.
According to the Award’s Principal partners the Heart Foundation, physical activity, including walking and cycling, plays an important role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.
“Physical inactivity is a major health problem in its own right. Disturbingly, about half of Australian adults (54%) are not sufficiently physically active to gain health benefits. Physical inactivity costs the health budget an estimated $1.5bn a year and causes 16,000 premature
deaths a year, “said Susan Anderson, National Director – Healthy Weight, Heart Foundation.
“It is particularly concerning for the future health of Australia when you consider that the last decade has seen a rapid decline in the number of children walking or cycling to school and few adults choosing walking or cycling as a mode of transport,” she said.
The Bicycling Achievement Awards have been held by the Cycling Promotion Fund annually since 2002 and this year official partner the Heart Foundation joins with federal MP’s and senators from around Australia to recognise innovation, commitment and achievement in making
Australia more bicycle friendly.
Increasing participation in cycling creates healthier and more liveable communities and enhances choice for people wishing to make short trips or access public transport.
Award Presentation details
- 7:15am – 9:00am, Wednesday 16 June, Old Parliament House, King George Terrace, Canberra
- Images of the Awards available upon request
- Media contacts: Cycling Promotion Fund Stephen Hodge 0411 149 910
- Heart Foundation Alicha Marks 0418 835 440
Winners of the Eighth Annual Bicycling Achievement Awards are:
- Cycling Promotion Award of the Year (Professional) – Warren Salomon, Bicycle Federation of Australia (BFA) Representative, Australian Bicycle Council.
- Cycling Promotion Award of the Year (Honorary) – Joint winners: Damian Maclennan, Sydney Cyclist and Paul and Di Truebridge, volunteers - Pedal Power ACT.
- Contribution to Cycling by a Politician – Hon Rachel Nolan MP Minister, Queensland Department of Transport (Honourable Mentions – The Hon. Anthony Albanese, NSW and Senator Christine Milne, TAS).
- Award for an educational institution for innovation in encouraging cycling to school - Bowden Brompton Community School, South Australia.
- Local Government Award for Special Initiative to encourage and promote cycling - Sunshine Coast Council, Queensland (Honourable Mention - Blue Mountains City, New South Wales).
- Award for Contribution Towards Cycling by a Bicycle Retailer – bikerepairs.com.au, New South Wales
- Special Achievement Award by a Bicycle Organisation – BIKESydney, New South Wales (Honourable Mention – Brunswick Cycling Club, Victoria).
- Award for Bicycle Friendly Business – The Munda Biddi Trail Foundation, Western Australia.
About The Cycling Promotion Fund:
The Cycling Promotion Fund is an initiative of Bicycle industries Australia to enable the bicycle industry to work collectively to promote and encourage cycling and to work with stakeholders and governments nationally to create a more bicycle friendly Australia.
See www.cyclingawards.com.au and www.cyclingpromotion.com.au for more information.
About the Heart Foundation:
The Heart Foundation advocates a whole of community approach to make it easier for Australians to live more active lives and fight heart disease. For more than 5 years the Heart Foundation has been successfully influencing governments and urban planners to make the built environment and neighbourhood design more supportive of active living opportunities for members of their local communities. It recently identified 10 key action areas and solutions outlined in The Heart Foundation’s ‘Blueprint for an active Australia’.
For your copy visit www.heartfoundation.org.au |
CPF News 