Lambeth’s School Superzone celebrates a year of healthier air, travel and food

Students at Brixton Hill’s Holy Trinity School celebrate a year-long School Superzone (SSZ) project, working on multiple different aspects of health and wellbeing, by presenting their clean air walking route maps to the school.

Word from the Cabinet

Cllr Ben Kind, Lambeth Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: “The implementation of Lambeth Council’s ground-breaking active travel policies, coupled with our award-winning kerbside strategy, has kickstarted a shift across the whole Borough in how we get around and how we work together to tackle the Climate Crisis. Through the Brixton Hill School Superzone, we are not only fostering healthier and safer environments for our children to thrive in but also actively combating wider issues such as air pollution, unhealthy dietary habits, and the proximity of harmful influences like gambling and alcohol sales. By prioritising access to parks and safe spaces, coupled with promoting active travel options, Lambeth is not just addressing health inequalities but setting a standard for inclusive and responsible communities.”

School Superzones

The School Superzone program started in 2018 and is supported by the Mayor of London. Lambeth’s first School Superzone was in the Oval area. Lambeth went on to develop a second School Superzone in Brixton Hill in March 2023. It was chosen as a place that can benefit from targeting priority health issues – the food and drink environment, air pollution and climate change, active travel and community safety.

Food and drink

Work in collaboration with Lambeth Council on making the food and drink environment in the Superzone has included research into understanding school children’s shopping habits at local convenience stores, then working with the managers of those stores to stock healthier alternatives..

There have also been practical workshops in the school, teaching both parents and children healthy food preparation, food selection and cooking techniques.

Climate change and air pollution

Lambeth teamed up with Asthma and Lung UK to fit air quality monitors in schools to record air quality over time. This was followed by education and activities to reduce air pollution.

Holy Trinity School combined air quality work with active travel by creating a map of ‘cleaner air’ walks to school. A group of children selected walking routes they could take which avoid main roads and other areas of higher pollution. This project not only encourages walking to and from school (active travel) but also means that children’s exposure to harmful pollutants should be reduced. This is the map now being shared with the whole school to celebrate the end of their project.

Holy Trinity School is also working with Lambeth Council in the Future Fit Schools Network and with more active travel training for cyclists, pedestrians and scooters coming this year.