Active Travel Ambassadors in Kings Heath
My name is Jenny and, as well as being a Kings Heath resident, I work for Modeshift as the Active Travel Ambassador Coordinator for the West Midlands.
The Active Travel Ambassador (ATA) programme, funded by Active Travel England, is for secondary school students. It is designed to empower them to create their own campaigns that tackle transport-related challenges and promote walking, cycling and other sustainable ways of getting to and from school.
I am currently working with four schools in Kings Heath: both Camp Hill schools, Bishop Challoner and Queensbridge. In each school the ATAs have been working hard to explore transport issues and develop targeted campaigns focused on encouraging active travel, improving air quality and keeping everyone safe on the roads.
Modeshift is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to increasing active and sustainable travel across businesses, schools and healthcare settings. We support organisations by offering a national centre of excellence for developing, delivering and monitoring high-quality Travel Plans which are essential for creating a healthier, more environmentally friendly and safer future.
Camp Hill School for Girls are in their third year of the ATA programme and were the first school to launch their 2025 campaign. In ‘The Great Camp Hill Walk Off’ Year 7 students walked to school together through Kings Heath Park each morning and form groups in all years completed an Active Travel Bingo card. Winners were rewarded with prizes! Sixth form students were encouraged to enjoy walking at lunchtimes; the ATA team are really grateful to a number of Kings Heath businesses who offered special offers to any students who walked to visit them at lunchtime during the campaign week.
Camp Hill School for Boys launched their campaign to encourage active travel in the first week of the summer term, with Bishop Challoner promoting Walking Wednesdays next half term and Queensbridge championing cycling to coincide with Clean Air Day on 19th June. Each student-led campaign is based on research, thoroughly planned and its success monitored.
I find it really inspiring and an absolute pleasure to work with young people at our local schools who are passionate about making Kings Heath and the wider world a better place.
by Jenny Royall