Youngsters celebrating Green Flag eco-award
A RHYMNEY Valley primary school has been awarded an internationally recognised eco-award after holding a number of environmentally-friendly workshops and activities.
White Rose Primary in New Tredegar has been awarded their 1st Green Flag Award thanks to the environmental education programme, EcoSchools.
Eco-Schools is an international programme run by the environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy and is funded by the Welsh Government.
The programme aims to teach pupils about sus- tainable living and global citizenship while giving them the information and support they need to make changes that will benefit their school, local environment and wider community, such as reducing waste, energy consumption, transport, healthy living and litter issues.
As part of their EcoSchools assessment, White Rose Primary planted a wild flower meadow and created small mammal homes during a whole school biodiversity week, they have had wear green days, collected unwanted spectacles for sight aid and recycled clothes, ink cartridges, asthma pumps, stamps and batteries.
Carl Sergeant AM, Minister for Natural Resources, said: “Many congratulations to the pupils and teachers in all the schools for achieving this prestigious Green Flag award.
“I’m delighted that the Welsh Government has been able to fund Keep Wales Tidy to operate the Eco-Schools programme in Wales.
“By doing so, many thousands of children and young people across Wales are learning about their environment and the benefits it brings us in terms of clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and healthy soils in which to grow flowers, trees and crops.
“Pupils taking part in the programme have gained skills and are better equipped to deal with the future challenges we face through climate change and make better decisions to ensure our natural resources continue to provide benefits for future generations.”
Jennifer George, EcoCoordinator, said: “The members of the EcoCommittee have worked very hard to achieve this Flag. Many of them have designed posters to save water and energy and one has even designed a bin to encourage the children to throw their litter in the bin.”
Lexi Howells, a pupil at the school, said: “I like being on the Eco Committee because it’s fun.”
Chelsea-Leigh Jenkins said: “I like being on the Eco Committee because you get to help out with the environment which makes the world a better place.”
Matthew Bunt, Edu- cation Officer for Keep Wales Tidy, said: “Congratulations to White Rose Primary on their amazing achievement. I was very pleased to see the school’s continuing enthusiasm for the programme.
“The pupils are a shining example of how young people in Wales are committed to achieving a sustainable future for their school but also for their wider community and local environment.”
For more information on the Eco-Schools programme, visit www. keepwalestidy.org/ecoschools