Hundreds of children from across the county marched through Canterbury city centre as part of the celebrations for national summer walk to school week.

The event was staged by the KM Charity Team to reward families involved with the children’s charity’s green travel schemes of Walk on Wednesday, Active Bug, Walking Bus and KM Green Footsteps.

A wide range of fun physical activities were laid on for the children and families include space hopper races, peddle go-karts and football target games. Two record attempts were also staged on the morning, both successfully achieved.

301 people took part in the successful attempt to created the biggest walking bus to ever walk down a Kent street. This beats the previous largest number by more than 50. Representatives of major sponsors Mini Babybel and Specsavers waved the flag to formally start the record attempt.

The record breaking KM Big Bus column on route through Canterbury city centre.

Later in the morning 297 people took part in a giant teddy bears’ picnic making it the largest staged in the county this year. To celebrate being double record breakers, children attending were presented with a goodie bag each.

Twydall Primary School choir performed Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah to entertain the crowds and to encourage entries for this year’s walk to school song contest. The song choirs need to sing for this year’s competition is Reach, by S Club 7. The deadline to enter is June 6. Visit www.kmwalktoschool.co.uk for more information.

Event host Simon Dolby and Westgate Parks Development Officer Anna Williams announced that Class 4 at St Peter’s Methodist School had won the latest walk to school challenge. Canterbury’s eight urban primary schools involved in the city’s Love Your City campaign had entered their green tra\vel figures for last week with Class 4 coming out top. The class will be invited to have the honour of formally opening the refurbished Westgate Parks on June 29.

As well as Mini Babybel and Specsavers, the event was supported by Countrystyle Recycling, Skip2BFit, Eurostar, Whitefriars, Fenwick, Chaucer Foundation, Westwood Cross, Three Rs teacher recruitment agency, Canterbury City Council, Westwood CRoss, Thanet Council, Medway Council, Ashford Council and Kent County Council.

To enquire about sponsoring the walk to school campaign call Simon Dolby on 07989 164 752. Primary schools wanting to join the campaign should visit www.kmwalktoschool.co.uk and click on the WOW or Active Bug pages.

Fact-file

• More than 200 primary schools in Kent and Medway are part of the KM Walk to School Campaign. The majority of schools use the award-winning Active Bug and WOW schemes, but a sizable minority have parent-led walking buses or use Green Footsteps.
• Last academic year participating schools removed 218,000 school run car journeys from Kent roads.
• Health chiefs, highways and air pollution teams at every level of government agree the humble walk to school is of critical importance and must be encouraged.
• The KM Walk to School charity has been in operation for 14 years.
• Schools wanting to join the KM Walk to School Campaign should contact Simon Dolby on 07989 164 752 or visit www.kmwalktoschool.co.uk