Kettering students' Park and Stride sign installed to boost school gate safety

A colourful 'Park and Stride' sign designed by two Kettering students has been installed a short walk from their school gates in a bid to make journeys safer.

Students from Kettering Buccleuch Academy took part in a design competition to create an engaging sign for a parking area which is a five-minute walk from the school.

The competition was run by local social enterprise Brightwayz, supported by North Northamptonshire Council and funded by the Office of Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (OPFCC).

The winning duo were pupils Andzela Petrovska and JP, whose sign has been installed on the council-owned car park area at the end of Weekley Glebe Road. Both received a high street gift voucher as a reward for their efforts.

Andzela said: “I chose the globe design because it is important to reduce air pollution and help save our planet.”

And JP said: “I chose the heart design because walking to school keeps us active and it is important for our health.”

Alison Holland, founder of active travel social enterprise Brightwayz, added: “Our focus is to inspire safe, active, sustainable travel for everyone and these students have really inspired us. This new sign means that parents who have to drive their children to the school can now park a little way from the school in the Park and Stride car park.

"Their children can then safely and easily walk to school which means the area around the school is less congested, making it safer for all.”

This Park and Stride competition is part of the secondary school's active travel ST:EPS project, which is funded by the OPFCC and supported by Brightwayz. Kettering Buccleuch Academy were awarded bronze accreditation earlier this year and are now striving for silver. As part of this project students organised travel surveys and each year group received a specially prepared lesson based on various active travel and road safety issues. All students also received a reflector or pencil as a memento of the sessions.

In 2021 Kettering Buccleuch Academy was the first secondary school in the county to achieve the national Modeshift STARS (Sustainable Travel Accredited and Recognised) bronze award.

Dino Di Salvo, principal at Kettering Buccleuch Academy, said: “The new park and stride sign is a great way to promote active travel as well as making the site safer for students. Congratulations to JP and Andzela for their winning designs which are now proudly displayed on the sign for all to enjoy.”

Paul Clarke, chair of governors at Kettering Buccleuch Academy, said: “I am very proud of the work done by staff and students at Kettering Buccleuch Academy to promote active travel.”