CROSSING supervisor Julie Hemming has been making sure students safely make their way to St Joseph’s Primary School for six years.
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“I know nearly all their names,” she says proudly.
She is one of 58 school crossing supervisors working across 43 supervised crossings in the City of Greater Bendigo.
“I love it,” Ms Hemming says.
The daily commute to school will be in the limelight tomorrow, on National Walk Safely to School Day.
The City of Greater Bendigo is encouraging children and parents to support the 19th annual event by walking to school with primary school age children and reinforcing safe pedestrian behaviour.
“Encouraging people to walk their children to school, even if it means parking a few blocks away and walking that distance, is good for families and helps the city manage the traffic congestion around schools at peak times,” the city’s safe and healthy environments manager, Caroline Grylls, says.
The day aims to promote road safety, public transport and the environment.
“The day also promotes the health benefits of walking and helps to create regular walking habits at an early age,” Ms Grylls says.
“Walking is by far the best exercise because it can be built into your daily routine.”
The School Crossing Supervision Scheme has been a feature of the city’s services since 1975.
“The city’s school crossing supervisors are highly valued members of school communities and they are all committed to ensuring children’s safety around schools,” Ms Grylls says.
“Some have been doing the job for many years and play an important role in our community because they provide children with an awareness of the importance of road safety.
“Like every other day, our school crossing supervisors will do their bit to ensure children walking to and from school on Friday can cross busy roads around their schools.”
Even Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is taking the opportunity to ‘encourage everyone to make it a day of resolution to take greater ‘strides’ to improve their health’.
“Physical fitness is not just about having a strong and healthy body; it’s vital to overall happiness and wellbeing,” he says in a statement.
“Walking regularly does not have to be difficult. It can be as easy as getting off the bus a few stops earlier, parking the car further away, or walking with friends and family all or part of the way to school”.