This November over 1800 pupils from across Bristol took part in Be The Change, our Anti-Litter Education Tour.  

BE THE CHANGE SCHOOLS

Be The Change is a response to the UK’s litter crisis from Surfers Against Sewage and the Greggs Foundation. This year Be The Change has been touring communities across the challenging pupils to take a leading role in keeping their communities litter free in a fun, empowering and engaging way.

Surfers Against Sewage’ education team visited 6 Bristol schools from the 27^th November – 1st December, with over 1800 pupils from Bishop Road Primary School, The park Primary School, St Patricks School, Ashton Gate Out of School Care, Hawkesbury School and Culver Hill School taking on the Be The Change challenge!

Further to the six participating Be The Change Schools six other Greggs Foundation Breakfast Club schools received Be The Change bundles so that they were able to follow the programme.

During the Be The Change education workshops participating schools learn about scale of the litter and plastic pollution problem we face. A problem so great it will take the collective efforts of schools, communities and individuals to help to tackle it!

Together during the workshops we investigated the school grounds and used our findings to fuel our positive Anti-Litter Action plans. Every school has been invited to enter their Anti-Litter Action Plans into the Be The Change Bristol awards for a chance of winning a £250 grant to implement their idea in their school or community.

BE THE CHANGE BRISTOL IN NUMBERS

• 1800 pupils reached through assemblies and class workshops
• 12 Schools receiving Be The Change class bundles
• 12 interactive class workshops
• 12 ‘Trash Mob’ school litter investigations took place removing 48KG of litter!
• 6 schools to enter the inaugural Be The Change North East Awards
• £250 to be awarded to the winning school

“Fantastic approach to engaging children… Brilliant, fun and knowledgeable. Surfers Against Sewage ran a fantastic, engaging and informative assembly and workshops, Thank You.”Niki Mackay, Teacher, Holley Park Academy

WHY DO WE NEED TO ‘BE THE CHANGE’?

We’re all part of a Litter disaster! Every day in the UK 2.25 million pieces of litter are dropped on our streets (1). Most of this consists of unnecessary single-use plastic items that escape from every part of our lives and persist in the environment for hundreds of years causing harm to wildlife, habitats, human health and wellbeing.

Litter and plastic pollution is now an expected sight on streets, beaches, rivers and playgrounds across the UK and beyond. I think that by raising awareness of the impact that it has on our environment we can all take positive steps to tackle it. What better way to do so than by asking for the help of school children across the UK!?  Ellie Ewart, SAS Education & Design Officer

BE THE CHANGE UK

Over the next school year Be The Change will be visiting four other regions across the UK and will also be available online to make sure schools in hard to reach corners of the country can take part too!

Surfers Against Sewage are now calling for interested schools, pupils or parents to get in touch and register their interest in this programme. If it sounds like the challenge for you please get in touch with SAS Education Officer Ellie on; [email protected]

(1) 1. Keep Britain Tidy, (2016). Clean for The Queen for Her Majesty’s 90th birthday. [online] Available at: http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/clean-for-the-queen-and-celebrate-her-majesty-s-90th-birthday/2549/2/1/999/ [Accessed 16 Feb. 2016].