Primary school teacher who 'changes lives' through cycling named Active Travel School Champion 2025
Jonny Hall has inspired positive changes in the way pupils and staff view cycling, walking, wheeling and scooting through a cycling revolution at his school
A Bangor primary school teacher credited with changing the lives of his pupils through cycling has been named Active Travel School Champion for 2025.
Jonny Hall was nominated for the Sustrans accolade by Kilcooley Primary School principal Pauline Brown, who described him as “an outstanding advocate for active and sustainable travel”.
When he is not teaching class, the inspirational teacher is said to be organising activities to encourage active travel among students and staff including bike buses, walk to school initiatives, coastal bike rides that include litter picks and even a charity cycle from Bangor to Belfast to deliver food to homeless charity, Team Haven.
Principal Pauline Brown, said: “His efforts deserve recognition and appreciation, as they have positively shaped the way students and staff think about travel, health, and environmental responsibility.”
Jon the Pedaler, who has worked with Jonny in the past to help get Kilcooley students on their bikes, previously praised him saying his work at the school was “absolutely transformational” and “changes lives”.
But Mr Hall also leads by example, choosing to walk or cycle himself, organising Mourne hikes, paddle boarding and cold water dips, showing his dedication to a greener, healthier lifestyle for all.
‘Active School Travel’
Sustrans Active School Travel manager, Beth Harding, said Mr Hall “is clearly an inspiration to the school community”.
She added: “For children to be able to see someone incorporating active travel into their daily routine sets such a good example to them for the rest of their lives.”
Walking, wheeling and cycling charity Sustrans has worked with over 570 schools in the past decade through the ‘Active School Travel’ programme. They say decreasing numbers are now being driven in schools that have taken part in the initiative, funded by the Public Health Agency and Department for Infrastructure.
PHA health improvement manager, Andrew Carson, said: “It is great to see Jonny Hall awarded for his commitment to encouraging children to build physical activity into their school days.
“Being physically active helps to build strong bones, muscles and a healthy heart and supports the development of social skills, and encourages a sense of wellbeing. It also benefits children’s mental health and wellbeing, and with such a wide range of benefits we’d encourage as many people as possible to incorporate active travel in to the school runs.”