Ballymena Primary School achieved a Gold Award for active travel and its teacher has been named Northern Ireland's Active School Travel Champion of the Year for his commitment to helping pupils to walk, scoot and cycle to school.
Gold Award and Active School Travel Champion of the Year Award presentation to Ballymena Primary. L to R – Johnny McCrystal, Walk Wheel Cycle Trust; Mr David Murray, Active School Travel Champion, Ballymena PS; Mrs Elaine Ritchie School Principal; Beth Harding, Programme Manager, Walk Wheel Cycle Trust; Councillor Rodney Quigley and pupils from Ballymena Primary
David Murray was nominated for his “outstanding leadership and dedication” to active travel which has led to Ballymena Primary School achieving a Gold Award for Active School Travel.
We deliver the Active School Travel Programme across Northern Ireland to educate and encourage schoolchildren to walk, scoot or cycle the school run. The long-running programme is jointly funded by the Department for Infrastructure and the Public Health Agency.
Participating schools were asked to nominate a member of staff who helps the whole school community travel actively and sustainably, through organising regular activities and events as well as setting an example by walking or cycling themselves.
Commitment to active, healthy journeys
Schools can win Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards for their commitment to active travel, with the Gold award a rare and difficult accolade to achieve.
Elaine Ritchie, Ballymena Primary School Principal, who nominated Mr Murray said his “passion and commitment played a key role in helping the school achieve the Active Travel Gold Award, motivating pupils, staff and families to walk, wheel or cycle to school.”
“David consistently goes above and beyond his role, working with external partners to create inclusive, enjoyable and meaningful opportunities that encourage physical activity, kindness and the learning of new skills,” she said.
“He continually promotes creative initiatives such as ‘Bling your Bike’ which captures pupils’ enthusiasm and make active travel fun and accessible for all.”
Mr Murray has also organised bike and scooter skills sessions, poster competitions and very popular walk to school events.
Impact of Active School Travel Programme
18%
Pupils walked and cycled to school in 2015
37%
Pupils walked and cycled to school after 3 years in the programme
50%
Pupils walked and cycled to school end of 2025
New larger cycle storage facility at Ballymena Primary School
A decade of increasing active travel
Beth Harding, Active School Travel Manager at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, said: “We are delighted to award the Active School Travel Champion of the Year to Mr Murray, having seen the enthusiasm and commitment he has given to promoting and increasing active school travel.”
Ballymena Primary has demonstrated over a decade of hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm which has truly embedded active travel in the school and brought the whole school community on board.
The school has achieved a significant increase in active school travel starting with a baseline of 18% of pupils walking and cycling to school in 2015, rising to 37% after their first three years in the programme, and then increasing again to an impressive 50% of pupils travelling actively to school at the end of 2025.
Due to the increasing numbers cycling and scooting, the school upgraded their cycle parking facilities last year to accommodate the uptake in children. In the past two years, Ballymena Primary has placed in the top three in its category for the Big Walk and Wheel competition.
