Pupils take on Co-op staff in green challenge

Churchfields Academy pupils faced a Dragons’ Den-style grilling when they teamed up to think of ways of helping the environment.

And children at St Sampson’s Junior School, in Cricklade, have been planting in the school garden.

Year 9 students from Churchfields Academy were joined by 14 volunteers from the Co-operative last Thursday for a competition about new ideas to reduce the carbon footprint.

The 70 youngsters split into teams to pitch their ideas and present them to the judges.

Angela Percival, the director of business and community at the academy, said: “It was a fantastic opportunity for them because they learnt how to find a market, to market that market and produce something that would change the way the market forces work.

“The winners had a brilliant idea, which is actually going to be put to the chief executive of the Co-op, that every Co-op installs solar panels on their roof,” she said.

“None of their competitors do that. They would be a market leader leading the way for energy efficiency. The person presenting from that group was really good.”

Other ideas from the children included switching off computers and lights.

“The Co-op were really generous giving all their time and they also gave the kids goodie bags full of chocolate and a light-saving energy bulb.”

The winners of first, second and third place will also be posted on the Co-op website.

Children at St Sampson’s Junior School, in Cricklade, have also been getting stuck into eco-activities as part of the Co-operative’s Green Schools Revolution week.

The school has been holding planting sessions in the school garden, building a greenhouse from recycled plastic drinks bottles, and taking part in assemblies throughout the week with a focus on climate change.

The Co-operative’s Green Schools Revolution is a programme of environmental lessons for teachers and parents designed to inspire the next generation of green pioneers To find out more visit www.greenschools.coop.