HUNDREDS of children from schools across north Herefordshire have been finding out what they can do to help tackle climate change at a series of workshops, organised with a £6000 grant from the Kingspan Insulation Community Trust.

The Climate Champions Project is run by Concern Universal and provides a fun and interactive learning experience for pupils. During the workshops each child made a fuel efficient ‘flowerpot’ stove out of clay. The stove is used by the charity in Malawi and uses 40% less firewood than its conventional alternative, helping to reduce deforestation.

The children were also able to produce their own news reports on how we can improve our environment and built a display in Leominster Tourist Information Centre, where each of the pupils pledged to protect the planet.

Sam Hodgetts, Lily Burke and Ben Norwood from Leominster Primary School all took part in the project. Lily said ‘making the stoves was really fun, I learnt lots and didn’t realise we produce so much CO2’. Sam’s pledged to make sure everything is always turned off standby and Ben is going to only watch fifteen minutes of TV a day ‘it was hard at first but it’s getting easier now – I don’t miss all the adverts!’. With his new time Ben is going to read more books! Other children from Leominster Primary are planning to start a litter picking club and plant apple trees in the new grounds.

Jo Davies, development education coordinator at Concern Universal said: “We are extremely thankful for the Community Trust’s support with this project. The work has sparked lots of critical discussion about our environmental responsibility towards our local and global community; and we have been overwhelmed by the positive response from the children.”