Chipper children at a Sevenoaks school have relaunched their walking bus and rediscovered the joys of a brisk stroll to school.

Pupils from Riverhead Infants’ School, in Worships Hill, walk to school with older children from Amherst Junior School, in Witches’ Lane opposite.

The school is being supported by the KM Charity Team, which helps schools across Kent to run walking buses and other walk to school initiatives. Just like a real bus, walking buses follow an agreed route, led by parent volunteers, and pick up more children as they progress.

The idea is for children to benefit from exercise, fresh air and time with their friends while staying safe, and to learn about road safety at the same time.

Karen Brinkman from the KM Charity Team said: “Riverhead have won awards for their efforts to encourage eco-friendly travel, so the walking bus fits very well with that ethos.

“It’s important to remember that walking to school isn’t something that you have to do every day to reap the benefits. Even if your child only walks to school once or twice a week, that’s still two days a week that they’re getting exercise and getting outside – and it’s two days that there’s one less car on the roads, too.”

The KM Charity Team’s green travel work is supported by White’s Transport, Ashford International Hotel, Orbit, Volker Highways, Countrystyle Recycling, Golding Vision (part of Golding Homes), Specsavers, Eurostar, Kent County Council, Medway Council, London Borough of Bexley, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Maidstone Borough Council, Ashford Borough Council, and Whitefriars.

Schools wanting to set up their own walking bus can contact Karen at kbrinkman@thekmgroup.co.uk. For information on Active Wow and Green Footsteps, visit www.kmwalktoschool.co.uk or contact Sarah Clyne at sclyne@thekmgroup.co.uk.

Parents interested in helping to run Riverhead’s walking bus should contact the school on 01732 452475.