Transport Minister Danny Kennedy has launched a ‘Walk to School Week’ Design a Poster Competition for primary school children in NI.

The competition, which is being run by the Department for Regional Developments Travelwise NI team, asks primary school children in Northern Ireland to reflect on how they travel to and from school by designing an A3 poster, based around the theme Step Forward in Time.

4,000 school children entered the competition last year.

Travelwise NI Schools Co–ordinator, Nuala McMullan said: “According to research, nine out of 10 teachers in the UK consider that the walk to school makes children brighter, more alert and ready for the first class of the day” (Department for Transport, 2001.)

The winning design will be produced as part of the Walk to School Week promotional materials and sent to schools across the whole of Northern Ireland. The school of the winning pupil will also be rewarded with a £750 voucher for an outdoor activity centre or a sports retailer of their choice in acknowledgement of their commitment to encouraging sustainable travel behaviour amongst their pupils,said Nuala McMullan.

The competition will run from 6 Feb 2012 to16 March 2012 and is open to all primary schools in Northern Ireland.

Details of the competition can be found here.