It’s Clean Air Day and a Golcar school is doing its bit to combat pollution.

Golcar Junior & Infant School is urging parents and carers collecting children from school not to leave their engines running.

The school took part in the Modeshift STARS active travel scheme and has achieved a bronze level accreditation this academic year. The school was keen to get involved with Clean Air Day to reduce the impact of traffic on air quality.

Golcar’s eco-officer will be encouraging children to walk to school and will undertake travel surveys. Children will also be creating posters to be displayed on Clean Air Day.

Kirklees Council’s air quality officers have spoken in assembly to raise awareness and answer children’s questions and the council also installed air quality monitoring devices outside.

Alongside teachers and pupils, air quality officers will also be asking parents and guardians to pledge to turn off their engines whilst waiting to pick up their children and were possible encouraging them to ‘park and stride.’

Air pollution can reduce life expectancy and affect adults and children in the long and short-term.

Asthma sufferers, people with respiratory diseases or other ailments are particularly affected, with poor air quality leading to increased hospital admissions for patients with lung and heart disease. Children also suffer from the effects of inhaling poor-quality air.

Clr Will Simpson

Clr Will Simpson, Cabinet member for culture and greener Kirklees, said: “We all have a part to play in keeping our air clean and this year’s Clean Air Day theme highlights the importance of this highlighting how air pollution can impact every organ in everybody and not just those who are vulnerable.

“These initiatives help bring awareness to the small changes we can all make that make big differences and have a positive impact on air quality, our environment and – ultimately – our health.

“We would encourage everybody to turn engines off, not just when picking up children from school, but wherever possible when waiting for someone to keep our air clean.”