This month pupils from Kibworth Primary School in Kibworth will be joining forces with thousands of children from across the UK, and over 40 countries worldwide, to celebrate International Walk to School Month.

Teaming up with local housebuilder David Wilson Homes, the school, located close to the Kibworth Meadows new homes development, is encouraging the pupils to reap the benefits of walking to school throughout October. Despite the average distance to a pupil's primary school being one mile, around 50 per cent of children across the UK do not walk to school regularly, with an enormous 41 per cent driven in cars.

John Reddington, Managing Director for David Wilson Homes East Midlands comments: "David Wilson Homes is supporting the campaign for the third year running. A large number of our new homes developments are located within close proximity to schools, and as families move in, it makes perfect sense for us to support International Walk to School Month. By offering pupils at Kibworth Primary School a helping hand and donating 50 hi-visibility vests to the school and hi-visibility wristbands to each pupil, they will be encouraged to walk to school and can stay safe as winter approaches and the dark nights draw in."

It is recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day and therefore walking to school is the ideal time for children to be active. Studies have revealed that walking to school reduces stress in children, and simply walking one mile a day was found to curb increases in blood pressure and heart rate in later life. Studies have also revealed that 90 per cent of parents who walk to school with their children believe it's a great way to spend quality time with them and over a third stated that the journey to and from school is where they find out the most about their child's day.

Paul Stone, Head Teacher at Kibworth Primary School commented: "We believe walking to school is important and try to encourage as many of our pupils as possible to walk to school in a safe and sensible fashion. It is great to see a developer support such a valuable initiative and we really appreciate the donation from David Wilson Homes. Initiatives like this help to get the children excited about walking to school. By increasing physical activity every day, not only is it benefitting the pupils health, the pupils have the opportunity to burn off some energy before the school day begins and we can also reduce congestion outside the school gates."

David Wilson Homes offers a fantastic range of properties at its Kibworth Meadows development on Wistow Road. Featuring a range of two, three and four bedroom homes, prices start from £134,995. 

For more information about please call the sales hotline on 0844 811 5544 or log on to the website at www.dwh.co.uk

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NOTES TO EDITORS: 

1)    For further information about David Wilson East Midlands please contact Hannah Elwell or Kayleigh Moore, Unsworth Sugden, on 01162 471777 or hannah@unsworthsugden.co.uk or kayleigh@unsworthsugden.co.uk

2)    David Wilson Homes is part of Barratt Group, which sold 12,637 homes in the last financial year, making it the biggest housebuilder by volume in Britain.

3)    David Wilson Group was awarded a maximum five star rating for the third consecutive year in the 2012 Home Builders Federation Customer Satisfaction Survey.

4)    In 2012 site managers working for David Wilson Group won the highest number of NHBC Pride in the Job Quality Awards for a record eighth consecutive year.

5)    David Wilson Group was named Housebuilder of the Year at the Housebuilder Awards 2011.

6)    David Wilson Group is the only housebuilder to provide a five year warranty on the fixtures and fittings in its new build homes at the time of purchase.

7)    Images of a selection of developments are available to the media at http://www.DavidWilsondevelopments.co.uk/DavidWilson/en/media/mediakit/lib