Bolton ESD Network

News from schools, educational groups and other local action

last updated: March, 2010

Sustainable Schools - news of 2 successful days

some of the 250 participants at the primary Sustainable Schools event at Victoria Hall
photo by Naomi Kane

250 staff and pupils from 22 Bolton primary schools attended the primary Sustainable Schools day. Participants heard an opening speech from Margaret Asquith (Director, Children's Services), took part in workshops and held a video conference with a school in Kumasi, Ghana. The children (and adults) learned about many aspects of making their schools more sustainable, including outdoor education, reducing and reusing waste and Fairtrade.
Rhiannon Chambers (11) from The Gates Primary School attended a money seminar and said, "it made me think about what life is going to be like as an adult!" Georgina Bradshaw (8) from Eagley Juniors said, "I wasn't aware of how much went into the environment - both good and bad things." The team from Clarendon Primary left with plans for making a difference to their school saying, "it was a great day!"
Schools had made special efforts to travel to the event by sustainable means, and most arrived by foot, bus or train. There were prizes for the schools that brought reusable packaging for sandwiches and drinks and the event did a carbon footprinting exercise. The 100Kg of CO2 that the event generated was less than last year's event. Where CO2 couldn't be reduced, the event organisers allocated funds to 2 carbon positive projects in the UK and Africa.
Steve Harrold (Bolton Council's ESD Officer) commented: "this was the second annual Sustainable Schools day the ESD Network has run. We're grateful to our sponsors - Bolton Council, Viridor and Lancashire Wildlife Trust. And we're really grateful to the schools who inspire us with their great ideas, their practical work and their creative thinking about being globally sustainable."

(if you attended either of the days and haven't sent your "next steps" to Steve, please email him now! click here to send an email)

These photos show some of what went on at the primary day. Schools enjoyed workshops, the video conference with a school in Ghana and a question and answer panel.

here are some of the things that school teams did when they returned to school - impressive results from 2 exciting days!
* replace litter bins on playground
* develop more wildlife habitats
* reduce energy consumption (especially by teachers!)

* revamping recycling facilities in our school

At least 1 school hosted a follow-up "cluster" meeting with other neighbouring schools that attended the day.

Beaumont Primary Eco Team - part of a growing movement...

The photo shows Beaumont Primary school's Eco Team - one of a growing number of eco teams that have started or been reinvigorated recently. Steve has visited an increasing number of schools that want to review their progress, plan for the future and get things done!

Beaumont's team described their feelings about being a successful eco team in this sentence - 'We feel proud and happy and a good team'.

They felt re-energised after their hour-long session with Steve. Children's comments: 'Steve's information was magnificently interesting', 'Steve's games were thought-provoking' and 'He made us work as a team'.

Julie Seeds is the Eco Team's link teacher. She said, "They are fired up to save the planet and full of excellent ideas! The children decided to share the news with the rest of the school in a whole-school assembly, telling everyone all the things they had to do to gain silver award."

If you think your eco committee or school council would benefit from training from Steve about Sustainability or getting an Eco Schools award, contact Steve click here to send an emailor 01204 336652

Tree O' Clock - Gilnow plant fruit trees to create a mini orchard

Gilnow Primary School was one of a number of schools taking part in the national Tree O Clock event.
The photo shows Year 4 children planting fruit trees with the Sustainable Development Team who donated the trees. The photo also shows Marian Moulton (Year 4 teacher), Councillor John Byrne and Stuart Cairns (Trees & Woodlands Officer).
Gilnow has made lots of improvements to their grounds in recent years and many children have been involved. They are also keen to improve the surrounding area and have successfully pressured the Council to improve the environment of the areas approaching the school.
The Bolton News also covered this story. See: http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/4782238.Youngsters_dig_deep_for_tree_week/

St John's Kearsley and All Saints Farnworth eco teams celebrate their successful school links

This photo shows a recent joint meeting at St John's.
St John's and All Saints' Eco teams have been meeting for nearly a year. They share their plans, their progress and hold regular practical sessions. They've planted dozens of trees and made environmental models from reused materials.
If your local schools have made strong links to increase your sustainability, please share your experience by emailing Steve click here

St Mary's Horwich achieve their second Eco Schools Green Flag

St Mary's, Horwich became the first Bolton school to renew their Eco Schools Green Flag when they learned that their latest assessment had been successful. The photo shows their Eco Club, with teacher Anne Marie Davies and Steve Harrold at their Green Day assembly.
St Mary's also received some positive coverage in the Bolton News. See: http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/boltonnews/4682458.Super_green_youngsters_earn_school_top_eco_status/

Bolton's Go Bananas School World Record Receives National Award

Bolton schools that took part in Spring's Go Bananas event at Bolton Wanderers may like to know that this event won a national award. Eddie Burke and Jim Hollyman (pictured with news reader George Alagiah and Harriet Lamb from the Fairtrade Foundation) received the award in London on behalf of Bolton schools and Bolton Wanderers.

Thornleigh at Number 10, Downing Street

15 year-old Zoe Cooke from Thornleigh Salesian College was one of the guest of honours at a Fairtrade 15th Birthday tea party hosted by Sarah Brown at Downing Street. Zoe (front) pictured with comedian Harry Hill was joined by other Fairtrade campaigners, celebrities, and Fairtrade businesses from around the country to mark the special anniversary. She was born in the same year that the first 3 products with the FAIRTRADE Mark appeared on shop shelves in 1994. One of the first farmers to sell his Fairtrade certified cocoa in the UK, Justino Peck from the Toledo Cacao Growers Association, a farmers' cooperative in southern Belize, was guest of honour at the tea party. Fifteen years on, his cocoa still goes into Green & Black's Maya Gold chocolate and Justino was able to tell Sarah Brown about the benefits to his community of Fairtrade.
Zoe also features on the Fairtrade Foundation's website - see http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/15thanniversary/default.aspx

St Mary's Horwich, Eco Club gear up for Eco Schools assessment and annual Green Day

St Mary's RC Primary, Horwich's Eco Club recently invited Steve to meet them and discuss their forthcoming Eco Schools assessment. The photo shows Steve running a global name game with their 20 pupils and 2 teachers.
Steve discovered that St Mary's has collected some detailed data about energy and water use and the effect that their energy-saving measures have had.
One great idea they use is to have A4 smiley/sad faces which their energy monitors award to the classes they visit every day. They reward the classes with the highest number of smileys at special assemblies. They plan to extend this monitoring to the school office, staff room and toilets!

Lads & Girls Club get national recognition for Forest School training

Bolton Lads & Girls Club were featured in a full article in Children and Young People Now
http://www.cypnow.co.uk/inDepth/ByDiscipline/Youth-Work/login/930536/ (you'll have to provide contact details to read the full article)

other news from schools....

schools and groups from all round Bolton continue to demonstrate the educational benefits of doing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). They also show the creativeness of just where ESD might lead you..!

The Forwards Centre, Westhoughton recently held its annual garden sale - the result of its 3rd successful year of organic food growing.
The children have developed many new skills - in growing, entrepreneurship, self-confidence and path-laying! The school points to improvements in behaviour and motivation and many children have independently transferred their skills to their home gardens, so their families benefit too...

Clarendon Primary School's Eco Warriors have worked hard to improve the Sustainability of their school
They recently spent £200 prize money from the ESD Network on useful resources made from reused materials - including can-crushers, recycling bins and stationery made from old car tyres and vending cups....

Castle Hill Primary School has received some excellent publicity for their successful growing and outdoor art projects which have involved large numbers of children and their parents & carers.
They've discovered a way of involving adults at a school that's previously struggled to get parents involved. They put the success down to attracting adults to do something that's initially unthreatening, that originates from the children and where the adults are given appreciation for their efforts. You can see coverage from the Bolton News at: http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/search/4169566.It_s_gardeners__world_as_Bolton_pupils_dig_in/

ESD Network visit to Groundwork's Offshoots Permaculture Centre, Burnley

Members of the ESD Network recently visited this fascinating permaculture centre in Burnley. The photos show:
* Phil Dewhurst (centre manager) near the composting toilet (completely sustainable construction - and no smells!)
* the sustainable educational "living" building - including renewable energy, natural construction and sustainable transport (notice the bike!)
* a recycled oak totem pole
* our group with the fruits of their work (permaculture-inspired hanging baskets)

The principles of permaculture are:
Earth Care
People Care
Fair Shares
...and Offshoots demonstrates this approach day-to-day. You can visit the site in the grounds of Towneley Hall. Details: http://www.offshoots.org.uk/maps_directions.html

Some comments from the day: "Inspiring", "The best ESD visit ever!", "I came away buzzing with ideas.."

Forest School taster day - getting creative in the woods

Another popular taster day was held at Johnson Fold. Teachers, staff and volunteers learned about the basics of Forest School through replicating the activities that children do. The photos show some of their creative results. One result of the day (and the continuing growing interest in Bolton) is a local Bolton FEI Forest School cluster group. If you want to join or attend this group, contact Steve: click here

some images of Sustainable action and activities that the ESD Network has been involved with....

sustainable transport - a walking bus	Dreams of an African Child - production for secondary schools at The Octgaon Theatre	sustainable school construction - a Network visit to Kingsmead primary school in Northwich
greenhouse growing at school - sustainable food production	a training day on health and sustainability for school councils	Fairtrade schools - Bolton's first Fairtrade Schools conference
pupils considering Sustainability planning within school	solar panels - providing sustainable energy and reducing CO2 emissions for schools	global links: secondary students being interviewed about their visit to Tanzania
Pupils from Key Stage 1 at Beaumont Primary School worked with Groundwork Trust to plant raised beds.	the world in our hands..?	examples of using natural sustainable materials in school grounds