A LONDON-wide relay will pass through Barnet this week, as part of an initiative to encourage children to be more active.

The relay, using the 1948 London and 1956 Melbourne Olympic torches, will pass through Barnet on Friday as it travels around the city from Newham to Greenwich.

The relay is part of International Walk to School month and the World of October Walk, which encourage students and parents to use more sustainable and healthy ways of travelling to and from school.

For Barnet’s first part of the relay, the two torches will be passed from Enfield to Barnet on Friday afternoon.

Students from Vita ex Pax School in Enfield and year five pupils from Monkfrith School in Barnet will be walking from their schools to Oak Hill Park where a torch handover ceremony will take place.

Barnet will also have the opportunity to host another leg of the relay on Monday, October 10, when the borough passes the two torches onto Harrow.

Year Two students from The Annunciation Infant School in Edgware will meet with pupils from Kenmore Park Infant School at the Chandos Recreation Ground in Harrow for an official handover.

The relay also promotes The School Travel Plan programme, a national initiative started in 2003 to reduce car use on the school run while promoting walking, cycling or public transport as alternatives.

All London local authorities, including Barnet, have an approved travel plan for schools.

Councillor Andrew Harper, cabinet member for education, children and families, said: “It has been one of the council’s priorities over the past few years to make sure every school in the borough has a well thought-out and fully operational travel plan.”