Lewisham celebrated the borough’s primary school’s achievements in tackling environmental issues, with a special awards ceremony held on 9 July.
The Clean and Green Schools initiative was introduced by Lewisham Council in 2000, with the aim of empowering children to take taking positive environmental action.
This year, 23 Lewisham primary schools took part in the scheme, which aims to raise awareness, and encourage young people to adopt best practice in waste reduction and environmental management.
Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “The enthusiasm and commitment shown by all the schools involved in the Clean and Green project is fantastic."
“I would like to thank all the schools and the children, who have led the way and taken up the challenge so enthusiastically. Well done to everyone and keep up the good work!”
The schools were given two themes to choose from for their main project: waste and recycling or local environmental quality. They also chose an additional theme to work on, from: water use and reduction; sustainable transport; energy use and the impact of high consumption on the environment; fairtrade; biodiversity (preservation of wildlife and the natural environment) or animal welfare.
Stephen Martins, Sales and Marketing Manager from Veolia Environmental Services, who presented the Recycling Pledge Competition prize, said: “Children these days are really environmentally aware. Initiatives such as Lewisham’s Clean and Green Schools project are a fantastic way for them to learn more and I’m really pleased that Veolia have been involved.”
Award Winners
‘In Bloom’ Poetry Category: Won by Sharna Fernando from Stillness Junior School. The ‘In Bloom’ category was introduced this year and takes its inspiration from the annual Lewisham in Bloom competition.
Recycling Pledge Competition: Won by Holbeach Primary School for collecting the most recycling pledges from parents and carers. They were presented with a cheque for £1,000.
Clean and Green Distinction Gold Award: Presented to Kelvin Grove School.
The school worked on Waste and Recycling, and Biodiversity. The children started work with a competition to design a recycling t-shirt, the winners of which formed their ‘Waste Gang’. Their mission - to ‘make recycling happen’. The Waste Gang collected recycling every week and recorded the amount of recycling going on around the school. A ‘Good to be Green’ award was presented to the best recycling year group every half-term in assembly.
The children have recently started to work with other local schools on a ‘Community Recycling Project’, promoting recycling through Art and Design.
For the Biodiversity element, Kelvin Grove reclaimed an area of their playground and set up a gardening club, with the children planting the garden to encourage biodiversity. The project involved the whole school as well as the wider local community, family and friends.
Kelvin Grove received a cheque for £600.
Clean and Green Highly Commended Gold Award: Presented to Holbeach School for focussing on Local Environmental Quality and Biodiversity.
As part of this the children researched the harm that plastic bags do to the environment. After learning about a dead whale washed ashore with 23 plastic bags in its stomach, the children realised that action was needed. The children of Year 5 wrote letters to their local supermarket asking them to stop giving away free carrier bags. They also became ‘Plastic Bag Champions’, by removing the most carrier bags from the environment in Lewisham in this year’s Recycle Now Week, in June.
Holbeach received a cheque for £300.
Gold Awards went to: Stillness Infants, Stillness Juniors, Horniman, Brindishe
and All Saints.
Silver Awards went to: Sandhurst Juniors, John Stainer, Rushey Green and Rathfern.
Bronze Award went to: Lewisham Bridge.
Certificates of Participation were also awarded to the following schools: Monson School Torridon Juniors, Kender, Gordonbrock, Fairlawn, St Saviours, St James Hatcham, Lee Manor, Kilmorie and John Ball.