A GREEN-FINGERED Evesham school has been shortlisted for an award at Parliament for taking action to protect the things we love from climate change.
Karen Dunkley and Debbie West from Bredon Hill Academy will head to the Palace of Westminster for the Climate Coalition’s Green Heart Hero Awards today (Monday).
The academy has been shortlisted in the Greenest School or Youth Project category in recognition of the work they have done to promote outdoor learning, environmental and sustainable development.
Most pupils are involved in growing, with a garden club open to all every lunchtime.
Every lesson makes use of the diverse habitats for learning and the school’s potting sheds have been transformed to provide a sheltered outdoor learning space.
The awards – which range from accolades for green schools, businesses and MPs to recognition of sustainable sports projects and overseas schemes – will be hosted by television and radio presenter Clive Anderson and will feature Sky News journalist Kay Burley alongside a number of other presenters.
Sara Bankes, eco-coordinator for Bredon Hill Academy, said: “When I received the notification of our nomination for a Green Heart Hero award from the Climate Coalition I was delighted and could not wait to share the exciting news with our school community.
“As a rural school in the Vale of Evesham we see the impact of climate change on our doorstep: We see the crops affected by drought and homes devastated by flooding, invasive pond weeds which survive the mild winters, bees and butterflies looking for food in February and the plastic waste appearing in our fields and woodland .
“We love the diversity surrounding us and need to take action to ensure that it survives. We share our experience with the local and global community and work together to find ways to improve.”
The Green Heart Hero Awards are coordinated by The Climate Coalition, a group of more than 130 organisations – including the Women’s Institute, CAFOD, WWF and the RSPB – who together represent more than 15 million people nationwide.
The awards ceremony follows on from the fifth year of the hugely successful Show The Love campaign and is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the diversity, passion and innovation of individuals, businesses and organisations taking action on climate change.
Clara Goldsmith from the Climate Coalition said: “It’s fantastic to see the work schools such as Bredon Hill are doing to protect the things we love from climate change.
“The people who have been nominated are just normal people who decided they wanted to make a difference and help change the world – and they have achieved extraordinary things.”
