Bexley Primary Schools Receive Environmental Award From The Mayor Of London
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Left to right: Ochuko Oyeye, teaching assistant Pam Hewitt and Oluwaferanmi Adetunji from Parkway Primary School. Mayor Boris Johnson, Abbie Brandon, Lucy Horton and teacher Liz Doherty from Hook Lane Primary School. |
Children and staff from two of Bexley's primary schools had a special day out at City Hall last week, for the annual London School Environmental Awards ceremony. While there, they met and chatted to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and TV presenter and wildlife photographer Chris Packham.
Parkway Primary School, Thamesmead was awarded a 'Distinction' and £2,000 and Hook Lane Primary School, Welling was 'Highly Commended' and received £1,000.
The theme for this year’s Awards was learning how litter, graffiti and even noise can have a negative impact on the capital’s environment.
Over 580 schools from across London registered for the awards. Each of the 33 London Boroughs had the difficult task of selecting just two schools worthy of the prizes.
In the London Borough of Bexley, Bexley's Schools Waste Action Club facilitated and judged the whole initiative. The judges were particularly impressed by the imagination from Parkway Primary School, highlighting initiatives such as ‘paper police’ who check the recycling bins, and the whole school ‘trash fashion’ show which concluded the activities of Environment Week, ‘creating and modelling items made out of rubbish.
Pam Hewitt, the teaching assistant leading the initiative, was delighted: "The children were the real inspiration. The whole school got involved and the children were incredibly enthusiastic about it all. We'll be using our prize money to pursue other environmental initiatives.”
At Hook Lane Primary School the sensory garden rather caught the judges eyes. They even had planters made out of unusual containers such as old toys and socks.
Abbie Brandon (aged 10) said: "I really enjoyed helping in the wildlife garden. Last week I saw some newts, which we brought in and looked at in class."
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "There has been a wonderful response to this year’s London School Environment Awards and the enthusiasm shown by all of these young green champions is really encouraging. Not only have they set a great example to all Londoners, young and old, they have, thanks to their parents and teachers, learnt at a young age the importance of caring for their environment."
