NORTHWICH students have the chance to win a treadmill for their school or college by getting active for Walk to School Week.

Secondary schools and colleges across Cheshire are invited to create eye-catching awareness posters aimed at encouraging their classmates to walk more for the week, which started on May 19 but is being extended due to exams and half term.

The winning school will receive a Spirit treadmill worth more than £3,000 from Stoke-on-Trent fitness equipment company New Level UK Ltd.

“Schools are in a unique position to increase physical activity among their students,” said Audrey Burton, director at New Level and Spirit Fitness UK, which supplies fitness equipment to schools.

“Scientific studies show a sedentary lifestyle leads to increased chronic disease and injury later in life, so promoting an active lifestyle among young people is critical in reducing future health problems and inactivity in adulthood.

“As a parent I know safety is a concern, so one way for schools to offer this education is by providing a facility that encourages physical activity in a safe, supervised setting, and our Spirit Fitness treadmill will be a welcome addition to any school or college gym.”

Teachers and students are asked to create A4 designs and upload them to www.facebook.com/spiritfitnessuk and invite people to ‘Like’ their design.

Entries close at midnight on Friday, June 30, and the winning design will be the poster attracting the most ‘Likes’. There will also be runner-up prizes of pedometers.