Wiltshire schools getting ready for Eco Week

Primary and secondary schools are taking up the mission to come up with projects that will have a lasting impact on green initiatives in their school.

Eco Week is an idea from the Wiltshire Youth Council, a group of secondary-aged young people who represent young people’s views and are elected to speak out on issues that are important to them. Young people get involved in local decision-making and have a say on funding for youth projects as part of the democratic body set up by Wiltshire Council in 2022.

Eco Week runs from 6 March and aims to raise awareness about important environmental issues while using the student voice to develop new ways the school may be more eco-friendly.

Youth councillor Kristina said: “It’s a week to promote and celebrate sustainability and the environment within the schools.”

During Eco Week, schools can get involved with a range of activities that contribute to the promotion of protecting our environment and eco-friendliness, as well as promoting recycling within schools and protecting the planet. Some ideas that have been suggested include creating artwork out of recycled materials, school litter picks, and creating new habitats for wildlife. But we are keen to hear more!

Participating schools will be asked to post images and/or videos on social media with the hashtag “WYC EcoWeek. Throughout Eco Week, the youth council will look through these and decide the winners and runners-up after the Eco Week competition has finished. They will also be asked to send us a tracker of activities that helps explain the difference your projects have made.

Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “As a council we have a clear commitment in our business plan to take responsibility for the environment and work to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. We are really pleased young people have independently taken up the mission and are encouraging all our schools to talk about and bring in initiatives that will have a long-lasting impact in their own schools.”

Schools taking part will be encouraged to post images and/or videos on social media with the hashtag #WYCEcoWeek. Throughout Eco Week, youth councillors will look through these and decide the winners and runners-up after the Eco Week competition has finished. Schools will also be asked to send a tracker of activities that helps explain the difference their projects have made.

In a recent Peer Review by the Local Government Association, the final report stated that Wiltshire Council is “excelling in work to address climate change” “The council’s work to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change is impressive, with many activities that would be considered exceptional in other organisations being seen very much as the ‘day job’”