Two March ‘travel champions’ whose work has reduced the number of people driving to school have won a national award for encouraging sustainable travel.

Ruth Johnson and Amanda Davey, who are both teaching assistants at All Saints Interchurch Academy, won the Modeshift 2020 National Sustainable Travel Awards on Thursday November 5.

The finalists are chosen by all members with the winners chosen by Modeshift’s voluntary board, which includes Cambridgeshire County Council.

Having worked with All Saints on road safety and sustainable travel initiatives, Cambridgeshire County Council’s road safety education officers nominated Ruth and Amanda for the contribution to sustainable travel category.

“Despite both having demanding jobs and busy family lives Ruth and Amanda are both total powerhouses of enthusiasm and ideas, inspiration and initiative for active travel,” said a Modeshift spokesman.

“Their school travel schemes have reduced the number of people driving to school, enabled pupils to experience first class road safety education and successful fundraising for a new cycle shelter at school. Ruth and Amanda even helped install the shelter.”

Ruth said: “We are absolutely delighted with this award.  We have worked hard (and had lots of fun along the way), and it is great to be recognised for all the activities Amanda and I have undertaken. 

“The children are at the heart of everything we do, and they thoroughly enjoy all the activities, competitions, assemblies and our superhero plays.  This is what drives us.”

MORE: Volunteers jump on board Fenland’s Travel Champions initiativeLyn Hesse, senior road safety officer in Cambridgeshire, said: “Congratulations to Ruth and Amanda and everyone at All Saints. The work done with our officers at schools across the county shows that our team are continuing to work hard, though the pandemic to run a range of innovate projects, events and activities to support active, safe and responsible travel.”

Modeshift is the national organisation supporting sustainable safer school travel.

The annual awards, which took place online this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, are designed to recognise and reward projects, events or activities across the country that support and encourage sustainable travel.