In keeping with the principles of Clean Air Day today (17 June), the Lanark on the Move project is aiming to encourage everyone in the local community to think about their mode of transport and the damage that air pollution does to health and the environment.

Lanark and the surrounding communities are piloting the initiative, with all primary schools in the learning community fully engaged in this initiative.

Schools have been supplied with resources that will not only encourage discussions on active and sustainable travel but also provide them with additional outdoor activities to get everyone on the move.

In addition, more than 1100 families are receiving a Lanark on the Move family pack. One of the priorities of Lanark on the Move is to encourage safe active travel, and so this pack has a particular focus on cycling safety, as well as fun family activities and challenges that can be completed prior to and during the school holidays.

It is hoped that the family pack will get everyone on the move by building active and sustainable travel into their daily routines and encourage people to notice nature and engage with their local surroundings.

Active Schools Co-ordinator, Lanark Learning Community, Derek Howitt, is the project lead for Lanark on the Move. He said: “The people of Lanark and the surrounding communities now have the opportunity to build on previous positive changes in behaviour and take the small steps that can make a big change to our environment.

“They can discuss together which of their short journeys can become active or sustainable going forward, and hopefully the health benefits of getting on the Move will inspire everyone to get involved.”

The next stage of the project will start in early August, when all schools in the learning community will take part in the on the Move Steps challenge that will see them work together to achieve a target of completing millions of steps over four weeks.

The Lanark on the Move pilot project has been developed by South Lanarkshire Active Schools and South Lanarkshire Council’s Road Safety team as part of the council’s Air Quality Action Plan. It has been funded by the Scottish Government and Smarter Choices, Smarter Places to support behaviour-change initiatives aimed at increasing the uptake of active and sustainable travel.

Clean Air Day is the UK's largest air pollution campaign, engaging thousands of people at hundreds of events and reaching millions more through the media.

Led by Global Action Plan, a charity working for a green and thriving planet where people enjoy their lives within the Earth's resources, Clean Air Day brings together communities, businesses, schools and the health sector to:

• improve public understanding of air pollution;
• build awareness of how air pollution affects our health;
• explain the easy actions we can all do to tackle air pollution, helping to protect the environment and our health.