Solihull primary school pupils have been commended this week for their dedication to tackling climate change and helping their school become more sustainable. Taking place in the Council Chamber, the Your Future Solihull primary school event was a celebration of the sustainable practices going on in primary schools right across the borough.
The students were treated to a performance from an award-winning local theatre group. The premise of the interactive performance was that Mother Earth is ill in hospital and the pupils were asked what could be done to care for her. The pupils were also challenged to write poems to bring to life what they were doing at school to take care of the environment. This included a walk to school campaign, switch off fortnight, planting trees, litter picking, making a compost heap, creating a vegetarian recipe book and spreading awareness of eco-initiatives via posters.
With the Mayor of Solihull, the Leader of the Council and the cabinet member in attendance, the children received Your Future Solihull certificates to mark their achievements. The day was one of many Council organised events putting the limelight on the forward thinking younger generation and is complemented by the Greener Solihull Schools Awards and Model COP debate which take place later in the year.
The primary schools who received Your Future Solihull certificates for their exceptional commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation in Solihull were the following:
- St Augustine’s Primary School
- Smith’s Wood Primary Academy
- Monkspath Junior and Infant School
- Haslucks Green Junior School
- Our Lady of the Wayside Primary School
- Coppice Junior School
- Bentley Heath Primary School
- Balsall Common Primary School
Councillor Diana Holl-Allen MBE, The Mayor of Solihull, said:
“It was a privilege to hear the students read out their poems, bringing to life all of the fantastic contributions they are doing to look after our planet. The event was a brilliant opportunity for the children to immerse themselves in the art of performance and be encouraged by the theatre group to express their passion for the environment so eloquently. Well done to all the students who took part”.
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council, said:
“The first Your Future Solihull primary school event showcased the very best of Solihull and the school pupils who are already doing so much for the environment. I was particularly impressed with how confident the students were at reading their poems and sharing with everyone the eco-initiatives taking place in schools. I look forward to hearing more about the great environmental work going on at the Greener Solihull School Awards later this year.”
Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Climate Change & Planning, said:
“It was a privilege to attend the Your Future Solihull primary school event and I’d like to congratulate all of the students who received their certificates. The event itself was a really dynamic way of getting the children to think about how to care for our planet and reflect on the actions they’ve been taking in schools. I’d also like to recognise the significant contribution from council officers, whose organisation and planning ensured the event was a success.”
If you’d like to keep up to date with all the climate change and sustainability news from the Council, sign up to the Your Future Solihull newsletter.