School's quest for green flag (From The Argus)

Shoreham school's bid for Green Flag award

3:40pm Thursday 13th September 2012 in News

Schoolchildren showed they have the bottle to go environmentally-friendly.

Billy Dinsdale and Nicole Allen are spearheading a green drive at Holmbush Primary School in Hawkins Crescent, Shoreham, under the watchful eye of teacher Frances Gardner.

Holmbush is just one of dozens of Sussex schools hoping to be rewarded with a Green Flag under the Keep Britain Tidy eco-schools programme.

In Brighton 18 schools have bronze awards, 26 silver, and nine already have the coveted Green Flag.

In East Sussex 149 schools are signed up to the scheme; in West Sussex there are 280.

At Holmbush, pupils collected 1,500 old bottles, then older children cut them into shape to be fitted on to canes and used in the green greenhouse.

Over the last five years an eco-committee, made up of pupils from Year 2 upwards, Miss Gardner and governor Sheila Boniface, who is also a teaching assistant, have set out what they want to achieve.

Enthusiasm

They have introduced water-saving schemes in the school toilets, automatic off-switches for lights and solar panels on the school roof.

Miss Gardner said: “It all comes from the children.

“They are very headstrong, very enthusiastic.”

The school was promoted to silver status last year.

To get a Green Flag, schools must show volunteers from Keep Britain Tidy that the environment is part of its curriculum.

They must show they promote the green agenda in the wider community as well as at the school, Work focuses on nine areas – energy, water, biodiversity, school grounds, health living, transport, litter, waste, and global citizenship.

For more information visit www.keepbritaintidy.org/ecoschools .

Is your child’s school going green? Tell us about it by calling 01273 544520 or emailing news@theargus.co.uk