WOWOW - Selwyn District

WOWOW - Selwyn District

WOWOW (Wheeling or Walking on Wednesdays) is an inter-class school programme organised by Selwyn District Council that is designed to encourage children to walk or wheel (i.e. scoot or cycle) to school on Wednesdays for eight weeks of Term 2.

Each child who participates in WOWOW has their efforts recorded on a wall chart. At the end of the programme, totals are calculated to see which class had the highest percentage of walkers and wheelers during the programme.

Classes within participating schools compete against each other for the class prize and WOWOW trophy for achieving the highest percentage of active travellers to school during the programme. The prize is something that every class member can benefit from. It is recognised that not all children are able to take part in WOWOW therefore are not excluded from this prize if they are part of the winning class.

During the WOWOW programme, small incentives are provided to keep enthusiasm for wheeling and walking high, and every child who participates is acknowledged with a certificate at the end of the programme.

Schools Travelwise Co-ordinator Carolyn Bennison says “nine Selwyn District schools have registered to take part in WOWOW (Burnham, Darfield, Hororata, Leeston, Lincoln, Prebbleton, Rolleston, Sheffield and Springston), and it’s great to see the kids out there wheeling or walking, and as a result of this, it’s improving their health, fitness and road sense, and at the same time reducing traffic congestion at the school gate.”

Mrs Bennison says “we are now half way through the programme and the comments we’ve had back from parents, teachers and kids has been very positive. Lots of kids who usually come by car have asked their parents to drop them off further away from school so they can take part in WOWOW. And parents and teachers have noticed a dramatic decrease in the number of cars at the school gate on Wednesdays.”

The mascot, Wowow the Golden Labrador, has a schedule of visits to each school participating in the WOWOW programme, and greets the children at the school gate either on the way to school or on the way home. Mrs Bennison says “the kids know who Wowow is and why he’s there and are excited to see him and give him a pat.”

The rewards of the WOWOW programme are children who are getting some extra exercise, parents who discover that they don’t need to deliver their children to the school gate, and a reduction of traffic chaos in front of the school at least one morning a week.

If families live too far from school, children can still take part by being driven part way to school and walking or wheeling the last 10 minutes of the journey. This also reduces traffic congestion and chaos at the school gate whilst enabling children to get active and take part in WOWOW.

The WOWOW programme is based on the “Walk or Wheel Wednesday Class Challenge” which has been run by the Christchurch City Council for the past four years and is a huge success. It has also left a positive influence on those who participated in the challenge to continue to walk or wheel to school more often.

 

Further information: Carolyn Bennison, (03) 347 2944.