The PEEAs, sponsored by Skanska and run by the charity Peterborough Environment City Trust, showcase the excellent Eco Education project work that takes place in Peterborough schools, to share best practice and celebrate achievements.
In the run-up to the awards, pupils aged 3-18 years developed projects which demonstrated their commitment to the environment. The projects were grouped into Peterborough Eco Framework themes, which comprised categories such as health and happiness, land use and wildlife, and local and sustainable food.
The projects on display covered 9 out of the 10 Peterborough Eco Framework themes, revealing the great breadth of green topics that were demonstrated on the day. The projects were displayed at the event and marked by a panel of judges.
“This year’s displays were absolutely fantastic,” explains event organiser Jill Foster. “We had exhibits on everything from an exploration of what makes us happy, a Roman trail around the village of Castor, students setting up and running their own healthy Fairtrade tuck shop, through to a RUBBISH presentation on reducing, reusing and recycling. It was wonderful to see how engaged the pupils were with the Environment Capital vision.”
John Birkenhead, Skanska Contract Manager for Peterborough Highways, commented: “If we want the next generation to reap the benefits of a more sustainable world, then we need to encourage people, of all ages, to think about the role they can play. The Eco Awards are a fantastic way of engaging with young people, while also highlighting the passion and creativity on offer in Peterborough’s schools. I know I can speak on behalf of my colleagues when I say how proud we were to be involved in such a worthwhile project.”
Winning Projects
Eco Factor Award
(Voted for by the children themselves)
– Winner: St Augustine’s CE Junior School
– Winner: Southfields Primary School
Growing Greener Award
(An Eco Team in a school who have been working on eco projects for more than two years)
– Winner: Gladstone Primary School
Flying High Award
(An Eco Team in a Green Flag school)
– Winner: St Augustine’s CE Junior School
Green Supporter Award
(Someone who has been invaluable to a school’s eco work)
– Gladstone Primary School Teaching Assistants: Mrs Holdsworth, Mrs Steele, Miss Patel and Mrs Formosa
Zero Waste Award
– Winner: Newark Hill Primary Academy- Judges comment: “Very good display with great participation from all the children who were completely focused on the project.”
– Highly Commended: The King’s (The Cathedral) School Team A
– Highly Commended: Hampton Vale Primary
Health and Happiness Award
– Winner: St Augustine’s CE Junior School – Judges comments: “The children had real ownership of the project, with green warriors in each class.”
– Highly Commended: Hampton College Primary
– Highly Commended: Wittering Primary
Sustainable Materials / Zero Carbon / Zero Waste Award
– Winner: Orton Wistow Primary School
– Highly Commended: The King’s (The Cathedral) School Team B
– Highly Commended: Southfields Primary School
Land Use and Wildlife / Local and Sustainable Food Award
– Winner: John Clare Primary School– Judges comments: “Excellent school and community project involvement from conception to completion.”
– Highly Commended: Queen’s Drive Infant School
– Highly Commended: Gladstone Primary School
– Highly Commended: St Botolph’s CE Primary School
Health and Happiness / Land Use and Wildlife Award
– Winner: Hampton Hargate Primary School
– Highly Commended: The Peterborough School
– Highly Commended: Dogsthorpe Academy
Culture and Heritage Award / Equity and Local Economy/ Sustainable Transport Award
– Winner: Castor Primary School
– Highly Commended: Middleton Primary School
– Highly Commended: St Thomas More RC Primary School
Judges Special Award
(The three schools felt to show the most enthusiasm and commitment to their eco endeavours)
– Winner: Hampton College Primary School
– Winner: Southfields Primary School
– Winner: St Thomas More RC Primary School
One of the pupils said of the day: “I enjoyed everything, it was awesome” and another explained they loved “seeing new schools, what they did and learning new things.”
The independent charity Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) is leading the way with a new eco framework for schools – embedding knowledge of sustainability issues into classes to inspire the next generation of forward-thinking students.
For more information on the Peterborough Eco Framework for schools please contact Jill Foster at PECT on 01733 866440 or email [email protected].
Photo caption: Pupils playing the Anglian Water activity with Marcia Davies, Education Officer from Anglian Water and the Mayor of Peterborough.