Schools, colleges and workplaces to take part in Clean Air Day

Leicester colleges, schools and workplaces are getting ready to take part in Clean Air Day.

Clean Air Day, on Thursday 18 June, is the UK's biggest initiative to reduce air pollution, raising awareness about air quality and encouraging action for a healthier environment.

To mark the day, students from Beauchamp City sixth-form college, in Leicester city centre, will participate in a workshop with local street art collective Graffwerk. They’ll be working together to design a mural based around the theme ‘switch off your engine for cleaner air.’

Graffwerk will then be painting a large-scale mural at Dover Street in the city centre based on students’ designs, with work due to start at the end of June.

In the weeks running up to Clean Air Day, Switch Off Your Engine signs have been installed around six schools in the city reminding drivers to turn off their engine when waiting to pick up pupils.  The signs have been accompanied by a theatre production at 10 city schools, which is designed to investigate the causes and concerns of poor air quality and promotes safe, active travel to primary schools. 

Some of the city’s largest workplaces are also getting involved in Clean Air Day. At Hastings Direct, staff will be encouraged to take part in a lunchtime walk, using walking maps from the Choose How You Move website for inspiration, to discover Leicester’s urban green spaces and hidden gems.

Visitors to the Haymarket shopping centre from 12-2pm on Thursday will also be able to find out more about Clean Air Day, where a stall in the centre will offer advice, information and activities on cleaner air. The Live Well public health team will be on hand to offer support on stopping smoking; staff from the city council’s transport team will advise on cutting emissions by choosing active travel; and an expert from the University of Leicester will be demonstrating how you can improve air quality indoors. Visitors to the stall will also be able to join in with Better Transport Week by making a pledge to try a new, sustainable way of travelling.

Assistant city mayor responsible for air quality, Cllr Geoff Whittle, said: “We know that clean air is important to everyone. A recent trial of a new ‘school street’ at St John the Baptist school in the city has been met with some very positive comments from parents, who say the streets around the school are much more pleasant and feel safer now that traffic is restricted at school times.

“This is just one example of how making some small changes can improve people’s sense of wellbeing – as well as benefitting air quality.

“Clean Air Day is a chance for schools, workplaces and everyone to find out more about the changes we can all make to improve air quality – not just for one day, but in the longer term.”

The city council’s air quality action plan includes commitments to raise awareness of the main sources of pollution and their impact, as well as working with schools to encourage active travel.

More information on air quality in Leicester is available at www.leicester.gov.uk/airquality

---