Pupils win award for reducing single-use plastics

Plastic Free Schools is a pupil-led programme which encourages children to take an active role in environmental issues

Primary school pupils have won a national award for their work in reducing single-use plastics.

The children at Uphill Village Academy in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, have been presented with a Plastic Free School accreditation from Surfers Against Sewage.

The programme aims to encourage young people to actively engage with environmental issues.

Pupils designed newsletters and led assemblies to educate their classmates on the harm of single-use plastics, and encourage the use of alternatives.

'Fantastic advocates'

The children also spoke to their families and local businesses to encourage them to reduce the amount of plastic they use.

The scheme started with a school audit to identify where reliance on plastic could be reduced.

"The list is quite exhaustive," said teacher Mark Hancock, who co-ordinated the initiative.

"Things like plastic drinks bottles, disposable coffee cups, sauce sachets, bathroom plastics, excessive food packaging, takeaway containers.

"These are the things that are having a huge impact on our environment and which we can make changes in our lives to eliminate.

“The children have been passionate about making these changes and have been fantastic advocates."