Budding eco-warriors show they are the best

Mar 18 2008 by Staff Reporter, South Wales Echo

PUPILS at a South Wales secondary school have scooped a national award after forging links with children in Kenya and Japan.

Bedwas High School in Caerphilly was today awarded the Keep Wales Tidy funded Eco-school award in the secondary school category for its work in developing a climate change garden and introducing water-saving measures and healthy snack bar.

Sue Rivers, Eco-schools co-ordinator at Bedwas High School, said: “The children have been fantastic, they’ve already done presentations on the environment to teachers’ conferences and other schools.

“We’ve also set up links with schools in Kenya and Japan, it is great for the children to compare what it’s like to grow up in different countries.”

The pupils were today to be awarded a £1,000 cash prize and a specially commissioned trophy produced from recycled materials.

The Eco-schools programme awards were being presented by Jane Davidson AM and TV weatherman Derek Brockway at a ceremony at the Millennium Stadium.

Also picking up a prize was Severn Infant and Nursery School in Riverside, Cardiff, after it was chosen as the winning infant and nursery school.

Its pupils have also introduced a range of activities such as setting up an organic fruit shop and promoting anti-bullying campaigns.

Julie Chick, Eco-school co-ordinator at Severn said: “It’s amazing how much the children have done considering they are only five and six.

“We made use of every single bit of outside space available at the school.”

Edwardsville Primary School in Merthyr Tydfil took the main prize in the Primary School of the Year category. Jonathan Rigby, deputy head at Edwardsville, said the pupils had really enjoyed being involved in the Eco-projects.

He said: “All of the pupils have put a lot of work in so it’s nice for everyone to get a pat on the back.

“The children have set up a Eco-committee with a pupil from each class and they will get half of the prize money to spend as they think is best.”

Park Lane School, in Rhondda Cynon Taff, came runner-up in the special school section.

Throughout Wales there are currently 1,620 schools registered with the Eco-schools programme.

Katherine Hughes, chairwoman of Keep Wales Tidy, said: “The Eco-school finalists represent the very best and I do hope that the examples they have set will be followed by many more schools across Wales.”

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