Pupils from Braehead and Forehill Primary School, Councillors and school staff
The first ever South Ayrshire Eco Award ceremony was held at South Ayrshire Council’s headquarters, where Braehead and Forehill Primary Schools received their respective Green Flag Eco Awards. These are the first schools in South Ayrshire to attain the standard required to qualify for the award.
‘Eco Schools’ is an international programme that encourages schools and young people to become involved in finding solutions to environmental and sustainable development issues at a local level. It is an accredited award scheme that involves the whole school, pupils, teachers, parents, the local community and local businesses in supporting young people to work collectively to respect and enhance their school environment.
Councillor Hywel Davies, the Council’s Portfolio Carrier for Lifelong Learning presented pupils from both schools with award certificates. Both schools are now entitled to fly a Green Flag in their school. Councillor Davies said: “I am very proud of what these pupils have achieved, they are an inspiration to us all, and the award ceremony recognises their achievements. I am sure that these pupils will be role models in encouraging more young people actively to participate in environmental and sustainable development issues that will benefit our school and local communities.”
Schools that want to take part in the scheme register with the Eco School office and then set up an Eco committee that is student based but does include school staff and parents. The committee audits the school and assesses their environmental footprint, identifying areas that need improvement. Then, through consultation with the rest of the school the committee develops an action plan.
South Ayrshire Council schools are very involved in the Eco School Initiative with 87% of schools registered as Eco Schools, of these schools 55% have attained a bronze award and 32% a silver.
Braehead and Forehill Primary schools are the first schools in South Ayrshire to receive a Green Flag Award, some of the following are projects that helped them to achieve this:
Braehead
School Garden - growing flowers and vegetables that were harvested and made into soup by the school cooks and enjoyed by the school. Any excess vegetables were given to older people in the community.
Recycling ink cartridges.
School Recycling.
Energy Management.
Making things from waste materials.
Forehill
School garden and bulb planting with parents and local community all involved in this work.
School improvements including murals at the entrance.
Green day – this involved wearing something green, taking part in fun and fitness and planting seeds.
Pupils from Braehead and Forehill Primary School, Councillors and school staff are pictured in the County Buildings at the awards ceremony.