Tag: environment

Facing extinction: Half of UK’s butterfly species on latest Red List

  • 24 species of butterfly are now listed as threatened – including 8 that are Endangered – representing a substantial increase compared with the previous assessment.
  • The risk of extinction is increasing for more species than decreasing.
  • There is some hope for species that have been the focus of intense conservation work and have been brought back from the brink of extinction.

Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation is warning that time is running out to save some of Britain’s best-loved insects, with the latest Red List assessment of butterflies published today, revealing a 26% increase in the number of species threatened with extinction.

Using data gathered by volunteers through the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and Butterflies for the New Millennium recording scheme, scientists from Butterfly Conservation have put together the new Red List, which assesses all the butterfly species that have bred regularly in Great Britain against the rigorous criteria of extinction risk set out by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The new Red List is published today in the journal Insect Conservation and Diversity.

Of the 62 species assessed, four are extinct in Britain (Black-veined White, Large Tortoiseshell, Large Copper, and Mazarine Blue) with 24 (41% of the remaining species) classed as threatened (8 Endangered, 16 Vulnerable) and a further five (9%) as Near Threatened.

Head of Science for Butterfly Conservation, Dr Richard Fox, says: “Shockingly, half of Britain’s remaining butterfly species are listed as threatened or Near Threatened on the new Red List.

“Even prior to this new assessment, British butterflies were among the most threatened in Europe, and now the number of threatened species in Britain has increased by five, an increase of more than one-quarter.

“While some species have become less threatened, and a few have even dropped off the Red List, the overall increase clearly demonstrates that the deterioration of the status of British butterflies continues apace.”

While land-use change remains the most important driver of decline, the impact of climate change on butterflies is also evident in the new Red List, with all four British butterflies with northerly distributions, adapted to cooler or damper climates, now listed as threatened (Large Heath, Scotch Argus, Northern Brown Argus) or Near Threatened (Mountain Ringlet).

Both the Large Heath and the Grayling have moved from Vulnerable to Endangered, and seven species have moved from Near Threatened to threatened, including the beautiful Swallowtail and Adonis Blue.

Two new species have been added for the first time, Scotch Argus, which is listed as Vulnerable, and Dark Green Fritillary, listed as Near Threatened.

It isn’t bad news for all butterfly species though, with some improvement in status for those that have been the focus of concentrated conservation effort, offering hope for other species.

The Large Blue, which became extinct in Great Britain in 1979 and has been the subject of an intensive, ongoing, and highly successful reintroduction programme, has moved from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened.

The High Brown Fritillary, also formerly listed as Critically Endangered, has moved to Endangered; likely to be the result of intense conservation work from Butterfly Conservation alongside other organisations.

The Duke of Burgundy and Pearl-bordered Fritillary, which have also benefitted from much targeted conservation effort, both moved from Endangered to Vulnerable.

Dr Richard Fox adds: “Where we are able to target conservation work, we have managed to bring species back from the brink, but with the extinction risk increasing for more species than are decreasing, more must be done to protect our butterflies from the effects of changing land management and climate change.

“Without action it is likely that species will be lost from Britain’s landscapes for good, but Butterfly Conservation is taking bold steps to improve key landscapes for butterflies and reduce the extinction risk of many threatened species.”

The production of the new Red List of British butterflies has been led by Butterfly Conservation with input and funding from Natural England.

The full scientific paper can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12582

Committee goes out on the road to investigate environmental change

The challenge of reaching net zero in Scotland’s communities is to be explored in a series of visits by a Scottish Parliament committee.

Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is looking at the role of local government and its partners in making a real and lasting impact on the environment. Now the Committee want to see this work in action by visiting projects across Scotland.

The Committee will begin the series of visits by going to Stirling, Orkney and Aberdeen where they will explore how the private sector, third sector, social enterprises and local communities are working with local government to meet net zero targets.

Speaking ahead of the visits, Committee Convener, Dean Lockhart MSP, said: “So many of the key areas in helping Scotland reach its net zero targets sit with local government. Issues such as travel, housing, recycling and the circular economy have a huge impact on Scotland’s environment.

“But we know that local government can’t make this change alone. That is why we want to see how councils across Scotland are working with their communities and building relationships with business and the voluntary sector to embed these changes and make a difference to climate change.

“Our visits will allow us to see first-hand the positive work happening across this country as well as finding out what more needs to be done to make the net zero targets a reality.”

The Committee will be visiting Stirling tomorrow (23 May), Aberdeen on 30 May and Orkney on 6 June.

Hanson Box 2022 to teach children about island of South Georgia

The South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) has developed a range of new and exciting educational materials about the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands for inclusion in this year’s Hanson Box – an initiative by the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation which donates a box full of fun learning material, activities and lesson plans completely free of charge to 8000 schools in the UK and UK Overseas Territories. 

Each year’s box contains a different set of specially crafted resources designed to help teachers inspire their students. For the first time, materials about South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands will be included, thanks to SGHT and the Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT).

SGHT paid for the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands contents of 5000 of the 8000 boxes, with FOTBOT contributing the remaining 3000. 

Six beautifully shot and incredibly engaging short films have been created by writer and film maker Stewart McPherson to sit alongside a booklet and a map of the island as well as two competitions whose winning entries will be displayed on South Georgia.

There are also links to download lessons about South Georgia for primary school students developed by teacher Dawn Clements, one of which features the journey of a character called Winona the Whale, to help young children understand the challenges of our marine mammals. 

The tiny island of South Georgia is an inspirational place hailed as a beacon of hope in international conservation terms, due to the recovery of its ecosystem.

Through the Hanson Box initiative SGHT can tell the island’s remarkable story to engage young people in the wonderful wildlife and conservation work that is taking place there and to encourage them that they can make a difference to environmental outcomes.

The films really bring to life this amazing story and include an overview of these sub-Antarctic islands, their bird life, marine mammals and marine life, their history and heritage, and the conservation of wildlife that is turning back the clock on two centuries of human impact. Working with the Hanson Box initiative, SGHT hopes to inspire a new generation of environmental custodians.

SGHT, the Scottish-based charity that has developed the educational materials for the Hanson Boxes, has been working on the island since 2005, in close partnership with the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.

Its hugely successful Habitat Restoration Project has reversed two centuries of human-induced damage to the island’s wildlife, eradicating the mice and rats that arrived as stowaways on sealing and whaling vessels from the late 18th century onwards that preyed on ground-nesting and burrowing birds.  

As a result, millions of birds reclaimed their ancestral home when South Georgia was declared rodent-free in May 2018 – the largest invasive species eradication in the world.

Stewart McPherson, whose generosity and talent created the wonderful booklet, films, printed lesson plans and competitions for the box said: ‘South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are as captivating as they are important in terms of international conservation.

“That is why it has been a pleasure to work on such an exciting project which brings together such a wealth of information, which I hope will inspire young people to a greater understanding and wonder of our natural world and in particular the importance of these tiny islands.’

Alison Neil, Chief Executive of SGHT, said: ‘The work of SGHT focuses on the conservation of South Georgia’s heritage and helping to change the habitat there for the better.

“The opportunity to have materials included in the Hanson Box is incredible as we are delighted to share the wonder of this special place and hopefully encourage young people to get inspired about our natural world using the fantastic turnaround in South Georgia’s fortunes in recent years.’

photographed whilst working on the South Georgia Heritage Trust’s Rat Eradication Project in South Gerogia , Antarctica on February 08 2018. Photo: Oliver Prince

Andrew Fox and Simon Leary, Trustees of the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation, said: ‘We are delighted to work together with SGHT to donate high quality, educational resources to 8,000 schools across the UK.

“As hyper-concentrated breeding sites for tens of millions of seabirds and marine mammals which migrate across the Southern Ocean, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are of global importance.

“The South Georgia resource pack included in the latest Hanson Box is intended to inspire the interests of British students in this history, wildlife and landscapes of this fascinating UK Overseas Territory, as well as showcasing the inspiring work undertaken by the SGHT and the GSGSSI to safeguard these islands for the future.’ 

The specially created films can be found at:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8URLzDWi0M&list=PLQ_Dgt2f4Ly-MQ_pnkcxu8qzIPn1LAZ_P

To find out more about the work of SGHT in relation to the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands visit www.sght.org and to find out more about Hanson Boxes visit www.hansonbox.org  

Stagecoach: Ditch your car and try the bus for Scottish Bus Week

  • Community events planned across Scotland 
  • Free journeys being offered on vintage buses 
  • Help reduce carbon emissions – one full double decker bus takes 70 cars off the road  

Bus and coach operator, Stagecoach, is celebrating Scottish Bus Week (23 – 29 May) with a range of activities to encourage Scots to ditch their cars and try the bus.

The campaign, run by #LovemyBus, is an opportunity to celebrate bus and the role it can play as a solution to the environment, levelling up, and connecting communities. It is also a chance to show gratitude to those working to provide essential services now and during the pandemic.  

The operator has a range of planned activities across the Scottish regions to raise awareness of the crucial role buses play in local communities. 

The campaign encourages a shift from car to bus use, but also helps reduce emissions, where the average bus journey emits only half of the Co2 per kilometre than the average car journey.   

Community celebrations will include pop-up events in Ayr and Kilmarnock bus stations and a flash mob on an open top bus at Ayr beach. Stagecoach and the Scottish Bus Week team will be handing out freebies, competitions and chatting with communities about the important role bus plays. 

The #LovemyBus youth team will also be visiting local primary schools in East and South Ayrshire for some fun activities and games and classes will benefit from a tour of the latest Alexander Dennis electric buses. 

In East Scotland, there will be a free shuttle bus from Dunfermline Bus Station (stance 13) to the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum on Sunday 29 May for those who want to mark the occasion and see a selection of the best-preserved vintage buses in Scotland. Entry to the museum costs just £5 for adults, or £3 for children and concessions. Alternatively, a family ticket can be purchased for £12, which includes two adults and two children. 

For those who want to join in on the celebrations online, the team at West Scotland are running a Bus Bingo competition every day a new bingo card will be posted on the companies Twitter account @StagecoachWScot, play along while you’re travelling to work or to school and share with friends. 

Sam Greer, Stagecoach Regional Director for Scotland said: “The #LovemyBus team do a brilliant job of raising awareness of the benefits of using the countries bus and coach networks, and helping towards a modal shift from cars to public transport.  

“The teams across Scotland have planned lots of celebration and activities for our people, customers and communities to get involved and back the bus. 

“There has never been a more important time to take action to address the climate emergency and play a part in helping Scotland deliver on its net zero ambitions and by reducing car use and opting to use public transport, we can reduce our carbon footprint to help meet these targets.” 

For more information about the activities in your area, visit:

 https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/national/scotland-lovemybus 

Stagecoach opens new customer contact centre

Stagecoach officially opens new customer contact centre in Perth, offering improved customer service to communities across the UK

  • Demonstration of continued commitment to customers and communities served 
  • New centre has created over 60 full-time roles 
  • Improved seven-day a week service with extended opening hours 
  • Marks key milestone in its customer transformation strategy  

Stagecoach opened its new customer contact centre on Thursday, based at its headquarters in Perth.   

Stagecoach UK Managing Director Carla Stockton-Jones officially launched the contact centre with local authorities and industry bodies.  

Customers from right across the UK can now use the new one-stop phone and digital contact point. The new multi-skilled team of over 60 new customer service advisors and team leaders will operate an improved seven-day a week service and will move to fully extended opening hours on weekdays and weekends within the year to align better with how people travel.  

Customers can still contact Stagecoach in the usual way via Twitter, Facebook or email and a dedicated advisor will be on hand to support their enquiry. In addition, from this week, customers can now call 0345 241 8000 and speak to someone in the new customer contact centre.   

There will be one easy point of contact that customers can use to speak to a member of the Stagecoach team on any queries they have, including questions about timetables, feedback on services, help with smartcards and lost property.   

Major investment is being made in a new customer relationship management system to help provide tailored support, better understand customers’ end-to-end journeys, and quickly address any emerging common issues.

 Carla Stockton-Jones, UK Managing Director for Stagecoach, said: “This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to providing the best possible service to customers in our drive to a cleaner, greener country and also marks another major milestone in our customer transformation strategy.  

“I am proud of our team who have worked incredibly hard to introduce our new customer contact centre. This is an exciting and major step forward in our plans and from this week, our new customer service team will be serving our customers right across the UK.   

“There is a huge opportunity to attract people to more sustainable public transport in the years ahead as national governments look to move to net zero. Delivering the best experience to every single customer is central to helping people make the switch away from cars to public transport.”  

David Littlejohn, Head of Planning and Development & Chief Planning Officer for Perth and Kinross Council helped to officially launch the event and said: “Stagecoach’s history in Perth stretched back more than four decades and this is a tremendous vote of confidence in the city and its workforce. 

“Sustainable transport is crucial in the fight against climate change and this new customer contact centre will make it easier for people to leave the car at home and travel in a more environmentally-friendly way.”

Scottish Schools celebrate Walk to School Week

Pupils in Scotland celebrated national Walk to School Week (16-20 May) with a series of events and a special guest.  

Walk to School Week is organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking.  Families are encouraged to walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ for the week to see the big differences that come from small steps, from healthier and happier children to fewer cars outside the school gates.

Pupils at schools in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Shetland, Stirling, Moray, Orkney, Renfrewshire, Thurso and Wick were joined by Strider, the Living Streets mascot for a series of events to celebrate Walk to School Week.

Living Streets is working with Scotland schools to deliver WOW – the walk to school challenge in over 120 schools.

WOW is a pupil-led initiative where children self-report how they get to school every day using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker. Pupils who travel actively at least once a week for a month are rewarded with a WOW badge.

Chris Thompson, Schools Manager, Living Streets Scotland said: “Walk to School Week is a fantastic excuse to celebrate the many social, health and environmental benefits that come from walking to school.

“Schools across Scotland are working really hard to get more active on the school run and reduce congestion outside the school gates. We were thrilled to take Strider along to meet some of the pupils swapping the school run for a school walk on what was Strider’s furthest visit north!”

Suzanne Carson Headteacher at Gilcomstoun School, Aberdeen City said: “It is wonderful to be part of a national campaign inspiring children to think about how they get to school while promoting their health, fitness, and mental welling which is a key focus area for our Eco Warriors and our Health and Wellbeing Ambassadors.

“As a city centre school we promote active travel – walk, scoot and if you need to come by bus or car, getting off the bus early or parking further away and striding the last part of your journey to school.

“We hope the enthusiasm for choosing greener ways to travel lasts beyond Walk to School week and that our pupils are encouraged to consider the importance of sustainable travel.”

Mrs Caroline Leask, Road Safety Lead, Sound Primary School, Shetland said: “Sound Primary School are delighted to be selected as Living Streets feature school and are thrilled to welcome Strider to launch the WOW challenge.

“Our pupils are enjoying taking part in the Walk To School challenge each day and earning their badges. The campaign has encouraged pupils to take more active journeys to and from school whilst also being ECO friendly in their travel options.”

Elaine Skinley, Road Safety Officer, Shetland Islands Council, said: “The WOW walk to school resource is great for schools as it increases active travel and encourages pupils to walk to and from school.”

In images: The bleak future of the UK’s national parks visualised

  • Artist impressions show the stark future of UK national parks based on current walking habits
  • Images show the impact of footpath erosion and littering on iconic locations like the Lake District and Snowdonia 
  • Research names the Peak District as the national park most in need of protection

New images have been released which show the stark future of the UK’s national parks if current walking behaviours continue, with footpath erosion and mass littering having a massive impact on our favourite natural spaces.

Rohan, the outdoor and travel clothing company, has been inspiring people to adventure into the great British countryside since 1972, so as part of its 50th anniversary, the company is launching a range of initiatives, such as research into the nation’s walking habits, to help raise awareness of and protect the areas that the public know and love.

For National Walking Month (May), Rohan used a variety of data sources, such as visitor numbers and environmental offences, to identify the national parks most in need of protection, and then looked ahead 50 years to see what they could look like if no action is taken.

The Great Ridge, Peak District

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The Peak District, the UK’s oldest national park, tops the list, with the latest data showing a staggering 178% increase in visitors between 2016-19.

The Great Ridge, which leads up to Mam Tor, is one of its most popular routes, and artists have visualised how heavy footfall could widen and damage the footpath.

Cat Bells, The Lake District

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The Lake District takes second place, with over two million annual visitors and by far the most online interest of all the parks.

The park’s website was viewed almost 100 million times in 2021 and there are nearly 130 million hashtags mentioning the Lake District on Instagram and TikTok.

Snowdonia

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The impact of the post-lockdown tourism boom in Snowdonia has been well-documented, but visitor numbers were already on the increase before the pandemic, with a 60% rise between 2016-19.

There were nearly two million Google searches for the park last year, which is second only to the Lake District.

Loch Lomond

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The most under-pressure Scottish national park is Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, which is home to popular Munros such as Ben Lomond, and the internationally renowned West Highland Way.

In 2021, there were over 30 million visits to its official website, which was the second-highest of any UK national park.

Joanne Backshall, Programme Manager at Fix the Fells, explains what footpath erosion is, how people can help to minimise it and what could happen to the UK’s favourite routes in the next 50 years if they aren’t protected:

“Footpath erosion is where trampling has killed vegetation and exposed bare soil and loose stone, which gets washed away to create unsightly gullies and scars in the landscape.

“It’s caused by a combination of people and rainwater, and the severity is largely determined by the number of walkers and how many stray from the designated path.

“If no action is taken to look after paths and repair damage, then erosion will spread – more vegetation will be trampled and die, more soil and stone will be exposed and washed away, and ultimately more of our stunning mountain tops, ridges and main routes will become gullied and ugly.

Giles Polito, Marketing Director at Rohan, said: “We’re incredibly fortunate in the UK to have such stunning national parks on our doorstep and it’s fantastic that so many people are getting out to enjoy them.

“Since our launch in 1972, we’ve always encouraged the nation to head outside and explore these spaces, but it’s also important that we do everything we can to protect them, particularly those with high footfall, so that future generations can appreciate them as much as we do.

“We all have a joint responsibility to look after the British countryside and listening to and supporting charities like Fix the Fells is a great way to play your part.”

For more research about the future of the UK’s national parks, visit: 

https://www.rohan.co.uk/explore/nationalparks 

Keep Scotland Beautiful awards schools for fantastic climate action

Four schools and nurseries in Edinburgh recognised with Eco-Schools Green Flag Award status

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is delighted to award four schools and nurseries in Edinburgh with an Eco-Schools Green Flag.

The international award recognises nurseries and schools which have demonstrated a commitment to the Eco-Schools Scotland programme and over two years have engaged their whole school community in local climate action.

The schools and nurseries are: Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools, Leith Primary School and Nursery Class, Nether Currie Primary School and Smilechildcare.

All the schools took part in a variety of fantastic litter-busting and climate action activities including litter picks, litter surveys, recycling and community clean ups.

Through the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, Keep Scotland Beautiful aims to make action to tackle climate change and environmental awareness an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of schools, for both pupils and for staff. The programme provides a framework to engage the wider school community in climate action aligned with the purposes of Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

To complete the Green Flag journey each school has a choice of ten topics to engage with, from climate action, to food and the environment, to litter, to energy. The schools also choose one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to link their Eco-Schools work to.

Catherine Gee, Deputy Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “I’d like to congratulate the Eco-Committee, pupils and staff at each of these schools, who have stepped up to play their part in combatting climate change and achieve their Green Flag Award. 

“It’s great to hear about the progress schools have made towards their Green Flags – up and down the country, pupils and staff are working hard growing, litter picking and learning. Thousands have also engaged with our live lessons recently and the next, on Water, is coming up on 6 and 10 June.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to supporting all our children, young people and educators through our Climate Action Schools activities to develop the capacities, skills and attributes required to protect our planet and work towards our goal of a Net Zero future.”

More information about the world’s largest sustainable schools programme and Eco-Schools Scotland can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/eco-schools.

Sign up for the next live lesson and see the previous lessons here:

https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/education-and-learning/eco-schools/live-lessons/.

More money to help public bodies to improve energy efficiency

New funding to help public bodies unlock and realise further investment in measures to improve energy efficiency and install low and zero carbon heat systems in buildings has been launched.

The Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant scheme will make £100 million available during this parliamentary session.

The funding launch coincides with the publication of the latest analysis of public bodies’ emissions, which shows a 5.8% reduction in reported emissions in 2020/21 compared to the previous year.

Overall public bodies’ reported emissions have now fallen by a third since reporting began six years ago. Over the same period, emissions generated by electricity use have more than halved across public bodies.

There has been a 64% cut in NHS buildings emissions since 1990, with the £10 billion, 10-year NHS capital programme supporting its net zero commitment. Scotland’s first net-zero hospital, NHS Balfour Hospital, opened in 2019.

Zero Carbon Buildings Minister Patrick Harvie said: “The ongoing cost of living crisis and energy security issues caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine make the case for pursuing our vision to improve energy efficiency across Scotland’s homes and buildings, and transition away from high-carbon heating systems, even more compelling.

“Our heat in buildings strategy sets our plans for more than 1 million homes and 50,000 non-domestic buildings to be running on low or zero carbon heating systems by 2030. Our support to help property owners and tenants to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and buildings will help to reduce both domestic and non-domestic energy bills while also tackling climate change.

“It is imperative that every sector across Scotland, including public bodies, takes action to meet our climate obligations. The latest analysis shows further positive steps being taken by the public sector, and this funding will help accelerate action in the crucial years ahead while also realising energy savings that can be reinvested into important public services.”

Young cyclists take to their bikes to demand safer streets

Almost 500 young cyclists in Edinburgh and Inverness took to the streets at the weekend to demand action is taken to make the streets safer for cycling.

The events, run by campaign group Kidical Mass, were just two of the hundreds that took place around Europe to raise awareness of the need to make space for the next generation with measures like cycle lanes that are separated from roads.

There are currently 12 Kidical Mass groups in the UK, with Inverness and Edinburgh leading the way in Scotland. The groups organise regular cycle rides, to give young people visibility and help them make their voice heard.

Ewen Maclean was one of the organisers of the Edinburgh Kidical Mass ride. He said: “The Kidical Mass movement is about demonstrating the need and demand to allow kids the freedom and safety to move around our cities in a healthy and sustainable way. Very shortly these kids will be independent young adults and the benefits of encouraging active travel are clear and societal.

“Not only is incorporating active travel into your lives good for your mental and physical well-being, helping to address the inactivity crisis, and the climate crisis, but it reduces traffic volume, pollution and accidents and damage to our roads – which benefits those who need to drive as well as those that don’t.

“The children on the ride were able to chat and laugh and be outside interacting with their community, feeling safe enough to get around.

“These kids were the lucky ones: many, many more would have loved to have joined from Leith, Portobello and other areas further afield but there is no safe route for them to access the ride.

“This is why we need to fight for safe routes across the city for all residents, but this ride was about giving a voice to kids, who can’t vote or participate in consultations – we need to listen to what is important for them for the future.”

Elspeth, aged 6, joined in the ride in Edinburgh. She said: “I loved riding with my friends and waving at people – it was really fun and I felt safe. I loved the music too.”

Bridie Barnett, hospital doctor and mum of 2 from Inverness, said: “It was amazing to see so many kids out on their bikes this weekend – we really see a difference in their confidence when we do these cycles because they aren’t worried about the cars coming close to them – it gives us a real insight into how good things could be if we had proper segregated cycle lanes.”

Ferryhill pupils pour themselves into water efficiency learning

Edinburgh-based water retailer Business Stream partnered with local school, Ferryhill Primary School, on Thursday, 12 May to deliver an interactive water efficiency session and enterprise challenge activity to pupils.

During the day the primary six students at the Drylaw school were taught all about the importance of saving water. They were tasked with designing their own water saving posters and to take on the challenge of becoming water champions for their school.

In addition, the Business Stream volunteers, led by an external expert in enterprise education, James Tindell, also ran an enterprise challenge to help educate the children about the world of work.

The children made origami toy frogs and were then coached to help develop a business plan, create their own brand name and logo, and ‘sell’ their finished products to their peers.

The purpose of the session is to help inspire the children about working in business and teach them new skills such as team building.

Douglas McLaren, Chief Operating Officer at Business Stream said: “We had a brilliant day at Ferryhill Primary School and it was great to see the children’s enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit in action.

“We really enjoyed the opportunity to increase awareness of the importance of saving water for our planet and are looking forward to running more of these sessions in the year ahead”.

Business Stream’s school volunteering programme supports the company’s vision to Make a Positive Difference to local communities and the environment.

Following the easing of the COVID-19 restrictions, the retailer has re-started its school programme and plans to deliver further water efficiency and enterprise challenge sessions to schools in Scotland.

Jack Knott, Primary Six Teacher, Ferryhill Primary School, added: “I’d like to say a big thank you to both Business Stream and James Tindell for running this really exciting volunteering day.

“The pupils were given a fantastic insight into how a business is set up and run, from product design through to selling and making profits. They really developed their teamwork skills and it was great to see them so engaged in the tasks. 

“Given the current importance of tackling climate change, teaching pupils about the importance of saving water was extremely worthwhile. Our eco rep for the school will be taking forward what we have learned with our eco-committee so we can share some key water saving tips with the rest of the school!”