The Story Behind Art on The Route and Week One Challenge

Hello! Welcome to our Brightwayz series of posts about some very special spots around our town in Kettering. Together they form our Art on the Route active travel trail which you can follow any time using the Huntly app or one of our free printed guides which can be picked up from Kettering Library and other local venues. You can do the whole route in parts or in one go… or take part in our weekly challenge to visit one point at a time.

'Art on the Route' 12 Week Challenge -

Each week head off walking, wheeling, scooting or cycling to the week’s featured Point on the route.
Take a pic and share your comments about how you got there.
Post on our Art on the Route instagram or facebook page.
Each week we’ll randomly pick one to win an Art on the Route Creative Pack (pavement chalk, bike bell, reflective sticker and other goodies).
Week one is Saturday 11 July to Friday 17 July 2026. Location is the painted box at Horsemarket, Kettering. (But if you do it another time that's fine; you just won't be in our prize draw).

Good luck!

Our trail takes you past some amazing local street art to bring a smile to your face and joy to your day. It also highlights some of the details around us - that you may not have noticed - that make our walk, wheel, cycle or scoot journeys safer and easier.

Art on the Route BT Box bottom Maple Road.

Art on the Route BT box bottom of Avondale Rd.

We’ve given some snippets of info whilst you are on the route on the Huntly app or map. But here in this series of posts we’ll delve a bit deeper for inquisitive minds… for the story behind each Point.

Week One Challenge and The Story Behind the Cycling Painted Box at Horsemarket

Our trail starts at the telecoms box at Horsemarket. In 2024 this was beautifully designed and boldly painted by local artist Sally Leach and sponsored by us here at Brightwayz as part of our Get Down to Town project.

Featuring modes of active and inclusive travel, you’ll spot a bicycle with flower basket, a scooter and Sebastian, the smiling young lad in a wheelchair. This is a colourful tribute to Sebastian who lost his life to neuroblastoma but won the hearts of local people and inspired local fundraising talent show The Seb Factor.

Horsemarket Art on teh Route BT box and rubbing post.

There are plenty more things around to spot that support active, everyday journeys. Cycle racks, scooter racks, maps, seating and bus stops all help us with greener, healthier journeys.

Creative Post Stop

Have you noticed our wooden ‘Creative Post’? If you have a crayon and one of our maps or a piece of paper you can do a rubbing to create a bus design.

There’s even more to do here. A QR code on the front will take you to a very quick and entertaining video clip about how to catch a bus from our friends at Laugh Out Loud Theatre.

Horesemarket bus rubbing post with QR code.

Look Around: On the Buses

This is the town’s main bus hub so the bus stops have electronic display boards with the expected arrival times listed. How many different destinations can you spot?

Look at the buses that arrive or are getting ready to depart. Can you see the destination and bus number on the front?

Do you know how to read a bus timetable? Every bus stop has to have a printed up to date timetable on display. But you can also find timetables on the bus companies’ own apps and google maps. For a live map view of all the buses near you go to the website: www.bustimes.com.

So why not plan a bus trip for your next adventure wherever you are? In England the prices are capped now so you will never pay more than £3 each journey. For August 2026 (only) most bus services will be free of charge to all children under 16. And it’s a great way to travel!

Carbon Heroes

By choosing to take the bus instead of driving into town you are having a positive effect on reducing carbon impact and air pollution. The fuller the bus the better the impact so get your friends to join you too!

Art on the route launch, box being painted and rubbing box.

Here at Brightwayz social enterprise we love to provide information and tips to help you, your colleagues, friends and family travel in safe, active, sustainable ways for everyday journeys.

Our unique range of products is here to help support your active travel campaigns and 100% of profits from sales is ploughed back to support the work we do. Take a look at our range here and find something to help you inspire others to travel in good ways.