Media statement | 24 April 2007

Going ‘Feet First’ earns Nelson school kids breakfast with the stars

Kids at two Nelson schools are gearing up for breakfast with two of the country’s top athletes this week.

Olympic gold medallist Hamish Carter and top New Zealand triathlete Debbie Tanner will join students at Brightwater School this Friday (April 27) for a Sanitarium school breakfast – top prize for having the highest participation rates in the country during Feet First Walk to School Week in March.

On Thursday Nelson Intermediate students will chow down on their own Sanitarium breakfast with Debbie Tanner for achieving the best result on Walk to School Day.  Both schools achieved a perfect 100 percent student participation rate. 

Over 170 schools and 60,000 students from Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Nelson took part in Feet First Walk to School Week last month. Plans are already in motion to expand Walk to School Week nationwide from 2008.

Land Transport New Zealand Chief Executive Wayne Donnelly congratulated both the schools on the outstanding results achieved during Feet First Week.

“The planning and effort that goes into this week have great rewards for all the schools, kids and parents that take part. Feet First Walk to School Week shows all of us the benefits of walking and increasing the number of kids getting to school under their own steam.  We’re committed to promoting sustainable and safe land transport for life, and this is a great way for children to learn good habits early on.”

Seventy-three percent of all students at participating schools took part in Walk to School Week this year – a significant increase from the 45 percent who reported walking to school two weeks before.

Walk to School Day 2007 regional participation rates were as follows:

• Nelson = 85 percent average
  (4400 out of 5200 walked to school)
• Tauranga = 75 percent average
  (4000 out of 5300 walked to school)
• Auckland = 70 Percent average
  (25,250 out of 36,000 walked to school)
• Wellington = 75 percent average
  (8600 out of 11,500 walked to school)

Feet First Walk to School Week is led by Land Transport NZ, in partnership with ARTA, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Tauranga City Council, Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council.

Visit www.feetfirst.govt.nz for further information, including a full list of participating schools.

For media queries:

Andy Knackstedt
Media Manager
Land Transport New Zealand
Ph: 04 931 8829 or 021 2763 222