THOUSANDS of Herefordshire schoolchildren are getting ready to join this year’s Walk to School Week The theme is “Walking Together” and Herefordshire Council has joined forces with Guide Dogs for the Blind to encourage schools to raise money to sponsor a guide dog puppy.

The week runs from Monday to Friday, May 22, and schools raising £250 or more can sponsor a puppy, give it a name and receive regular “pupdates” about its progress.

A total of 48 schools are taking part in the week, with seven of them raising money for guide dogs. They will receive visits from puppies and their walkers.

These are: Leominster Junior School; Marlbrook Primary School, Hereford; Ashfield Park, Ross-on-Wye; Weobley Primary School; Ledbury Primary School; Lord Scudamore Primary School, Hereford; and St Martin’s Primary School, Hereford.

Children who cannot walk to school are encouraged to ask parents to park 10 minutes’ walk away. Those who travel by bus or taxi can also take part by walking around school grounds during breaks.