Skip to content ↓

Earth Day

Year 7 students took part in our very first Earth Day on 22 April. The aim was to give them the opportunity to take part in a number of interactive and fun workshops aimed at educating them about the climate crisis and giving them positive ways to make a difference.

We welcomed a number of external organisations who came in to support the day by running a workshop or a stall at lunchtime, as well as our Eco-Committee and Year 12 helpers who were amazing supporters throughout the day.

 

 

Thanks to the following organisations and staff for their support:

  • Mrs Meader and Miss Henderson in Technology, supported by volunteers from the Purley Sustainability Group's Repair Cafe for creating bird box kits for students to build, making stepping stones using repurposed decorative items for our nature area project, and a design and model make session to create a bird feeding table and a squirrel obstacle course

  • Mrs Rose in Food Tech for running tasting sessions of more sustainable food options, planting seeds in origami newspaper pots, and baking vegan brownies

  • Kids for Kids charity who talked about their work in the Sudan and educated students on sustainable ways of surviving desert life

  • The University of Reading and their Student Ambassadors ran sessions on how glaciers are formed with an activity to make slime which mimics the way the glaciers move; they also ran an art session which explored how art can be used to address social and political issues relating to the natural and urban environment; and how we can use recycled and repurposed items to make art. Students contributed to a collaborative piece of artwork to recreate a coral reef using rubbish and recycled materials.

  • Reading Hydro came with an interactive presentation about climate heating, and how hydroelectricity and other types of renewable energy help reduce it

  • Volunteers from Action for the River Kennet (ARK) helped Year 7s to identify wildlife in water from the local chalk streams. They helped to inform them about the importance of water quality and pollution.

  • Design Nature and Stantec used air quality monitors to teach about pollution and ways we can improve our air quality or what to do when we can't.

  • Little Heath parent, Macolm Powers, from Tegula Consulting Ltd, ran a session about Climate Conversations. They discussed how we can talk to each other, families and to decision makers about the need to take action on climate change.

  • The Pangbourne and Whitchurch Sustainability Group (PAWS) had a stall at lunchtime with information about climate change and they bought their thermal imaging camera for students to try. This can be borrowed by families in Tilehurst and surrounding areas to check for heat loss in their homes - do contact them if you would like to try it. 

  • And finally, our amazing Eco-Committee students Aaron, Lily and Daisy ran a session to tackle the school's litter problem through looking at ideas for 'fun' ways to dispose of litter, and reducing use of plastic bottles by designing a reusable water bottle.

We are really grateful to everyone who made the day a huge success. If you would like to help by running a workshop next year, please email marketing@littleheath.org.uk