• Pakenham News

15th October 2009 02:05:36 AM

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FOUR lucky students will be riding new bikes to school as part of a program which aims to tackle the nation’s obesity epidemic.

Two grade six students from Pakenham Hills Primary School and St Patrick’s Primary School will receive the free bicycles as part of the Victorian Government’s 1000 bike Ride2School giveaway.

Eastern Victoria MP Johan Scheffer said the recipients were nominated by their respective schools for leadership shown during the Ride2School 1000 Bikes Student Leadership Reward program.

Mr Scheffer said pupils at the schools in Pakenham were leading the way in the program, run by the State Government in conjunction with Bicycle Victoria. It aims to increase the number of children walking or riding to school, which has dropped dramatically since the 1970s from 80 per cent to just 20 per cent.

“We want to give our kids the best start in life and that means getting them off the couch and being more active,” Mr Scheffer said.

“The Victorian Government’s ‘Go for your life’ program aims to stem the tide against the looming epidemics of obesity and diabetes – and help our kids who are particularly at risk of developing these preventable diseases.”

Across the state, students from 500 Government and non-Government schools will receive free bicycles before Christmas as part of the program. Each child will also be given a free helmet.

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