Chance for Peterborough’s Schools to gain recognition for their green efforts…

Peterborough’s schools are working hard to go green and many have achieved considerable success. For the first time, Environmental Education awards are being held by Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) and Peterborough City Council to recognise the efforts of local schools to go green.

If you think your Primary, Secondary or Special school deserves recognition for being environmentally friendly, make sure you enter them for the awards. Organisers are looking for nominations from teachers, pupils, parents, local councillors, school governors, and local residents.

There are nine different categories two of which recognise individual contributions:

• The Eco Leader Award – recognising individuals who have inspired pupils to participate.
• The Green Supporter Award – recognising the parent, governor or member of school staff who has contributed most effectively to an environmental project.

The remaining categories are aimed at the schools themselves recognising their efforts in areas such as:

• The green aspirations of pupils
• Reductions in use of natural resources such as energy
• Biodiversity on school grounds
• Learning about the global environment
• Using Gardening in the curriculum
• Gardening in small spaces for school who don’t have room for a garden
• A proactive approach to school travel plans to encourage sustainable travel to and from school.

PECT’s Environmental Education Officer Jill Foster said, “Anyone can nominate a school they think deserves recognition; parents, governors, teachers, councillors and local residents. If there is a school or individual you think should be nominated we want to hear from you. We will then contact the school to research the nomination.

“A key part of my role involves helping local schools teach about the environment and also embed sustainability into the school’s day-to-day running. It’s great to see the hard work of the city’s schools highlighted and celebrate their eco success stories.”

Mel Collins, Director of Children’s Services for Peterborough City Council believes the awards support Peterborough’s aspiration to become the UK’s Environment Capital. She said, “These awards recognise the vital role that schools play in educating our young people, and also our local communities about the environment.

“Many local schools are now taking a hands-on approach to going green which makes for imaginative and exciting lessons for the city’s pupils such as learning how to grow food or create a wildlife garden.

“Educating our youngsters about the environment is vital if we are to preserve our local wildlife and green spaces, and reduce our consumption of resources to live in a more sustainable way.”

The deadline for entries is 12noon on Thursday 14th January - nominations can be made by post or email. The short and simple nomination form is available by visiting www.pect.org.uk or by calling Lisa Taylor on 01733 568408.

Shortlisted schools will attend an award ceremony where winners will be presented with their prizes on 4th February 2010 in Peterborough Town Hall between 6.30pm and 8.30pm.

Prizes are designed to help schools develop their green schemes and have been donated by a wide range of local organisations including Waterstone’s, Peterborough Garden Park, Travelchoice and Peterborough City Council’s Climate Change team.

Support is available from PECT for local schools to teach about the environment and reduce their carbon footprint:

PECT runs a number of environmental education projects to support schools to go green. These resources include www.greenerschools.co.uk a one-stop-shop for teachers seeking materials to deliver green lessons, and www.greenerfutures.com where students are presented with a variety of environmental scenarios in the form of an online game.

PECT is also on hand to help schools work towards the different levels of Eco-Schools accreditation from Bronze to Green Flag status.

For more information on the support available to schools visit www.pect.org.uk

Notes to Editor

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