SCHOOLCHILDREN in Mossley have a knockout way of walking to school after teaming up with a scheme’s leader – Livingstone’s school dog called Bruno.
Every time the four-year-old Hovawart comes to school he welcomes children at Mossley’s market place for a walk down to school. Dozens attending Livingstone Primary School flock around him.
“Bruno!” shouted one boy the moment he was seen as he arrived one morning ahead of leading the group to the Vale Side establishment.
And ever since Bruno joined Livingstone Primary in April, the effect has been huge, both physically and mentally among pupils.
Now almost three quarters of them make use of the walking to school scheme, which also has a serious side as it helps alleviate traffic issues around the gates.
Livingstone’s learning mentor, Deb Parkinson, said: “Since we began our walk to school programme, we’ve seen the number of children walking to school increase substantially.
“About two thirds of our pupils now regularly walk some or all of the way to school, which is great for their health and wellbeing.
“The children love spending time with Bruno so it’s a real incentive to getting the children to walk, and we’re already beginning to see an improvement in the congestion outside the school at drop off and pick up time.
“Bruno joined our school to support the emotional health and wellbeing of our children. His natural calm nature means he is a great asset for our children’s mental health and wellbeing.
“They get to spend time walking with him, reading to him and stroking him whilst talking about things that they find upsetting.
“Returning from Christmas to school can be daunting and miserable for some people. People feeling like they have over-eaten and generally not been terribly active alongside dark mornings and dark evenings, so we have promoted walking to try and beat those January blues.
“We’ve had a significant increase in numbers from just over 50 per cent to 73 per cent of our children actively walking to school.
“Obviously Bruno is a draw, and competition between the classes has also helped!”
The Correspondent witnessed the impact Bruno, whose mother works with Oldham Mountain Rescue Team, has on the children – and a number of parents.
And it is hoped the overall effect of the scheme can help ease one major issue as they hope to create another solution.
Deb added: “Another aim was to help the traffic situation outside school and there has already been a small but noticeable improvement.
“Being at the bottom of the hill and with a dead end it does cause congestion with cars turning around and dropping off children.
“We’re talking to Tameside Council to see if they would be able to change the Market Street Car Park to a short-term free car park which we know from speaking to parents would further help the situation.
“We know that the impact on our local community of parents and carers parking on the side streets leading down towards our school is not sustainable long-term.”