The 13th annual PECT Eco Awards, sponsored by Milestone Infrastructure, celebrated the exceptional environmental efforts of local schools on 16th May 2024 at the Key Theatre, Peterborough. The awards combined a series of workshops for student attendees and showcased a year of impressive eco-education projects from students across the region.
The morning saw the primary and secondary students taking part in a variety of sustainability workshops, including exploring fast fashion with JUMPED UP THEATRE, DNA testing of strawberries with ARU Peterborough, local and seasonal cooking with Kids Country UK, sampling air quality with SAMHE (Schools’ Air quality Monitoring for Health and Education), and reducing river pollution with recycling charity, RECOUP .
Spotlight on Eco Ambassador of the Year
Raheemah, a Year 9 student from the City of Peterborough Academy, received high praise from judges and was awarded the ‘Eco Ambassador of the Year 2024’ Award. By working across year groups, Raheemah has led initiatives to create new spaces for wildlife, increased biodiversity by planting wildflowers, instilled a sense of pride in fellow students about their school environment, and left a lasting legacy for others to follow.
The awards provided a platform for students like Raheemah to present their projects and share their expertise with other schools, sponsors, and a range of influencers from around Peterborough including the new Mayor of Peterborough, Councillor Marco Cereste.
“Local students have been doing amazing work to improve our environment, and we were delighted to celebrate that at the Eco Awards 2024,” said Heidi Latronico-Ferris, PECT’s Climate Education Lead. “All the sponsors and VIP guests agreed that the student project displays were outstanding, and all the schools left with an award, fresh ideas, and enthusiasm to prepare for their next project!”
Some of the awards also came with fantastic prizes for the students including a trip to ARU’s Bioscience Lab (thank you to ARU Peterborough), and a £200 gardening voucher for the winning school’s grounds (thank you to Milestone Infrastructure).
Congratulations to the PECT Eco Awards 2024 Winners:
Eco Factor Award – St Augustines C of E
Eco Ambassador of the Year – Raheemah from City of Peterborough Academy
Sustainable School of the Year – City of Peterborough Academy
Climate Education Award – Heltwate School
ARU Peterborough Award for Sustainability – Soham Village College
Milestone Special Commendation Award – Thomas Deacons Primary & Academy
Student Choice Award – Thomas Deacons Primary & Academy
Landmark Theatres Host Award – Kings Ely Juniors
Special thanks to our sponsors Milestone Infrastructure, and their partners Emneth Construction, Aggregate Industries, GAP Hire Solutions, The John Henry Group, Keyline, PGR Construction, and The Co-op, which provided healthy snacks for the students.