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PUPILS BAG BIGGER ECO AWARD

By County Press Reporter - Monday, March 13, 2006
PUPILS BAG BIGGER ECO AWARD
Northwood Primary School eco-warriors Sophie Grandcourt, five, and Aaron Johnson, eight, with their cotton bags. Picture by CHRIS THWAITES.
By Clare Wall
ECO-WARRIOR pupils of Northwood Primary School have earned a national award for their efforts.
The children, who last year won the Rotary District Environmental Award Scheme prize for their organic kitchen garden, have won the organisation's national award and a £500 cash prize.
They won the prize by campaigning to eradicate plastic bags from the Island.
Headteacher Vicki Johnson said: "The children are so clued up on the environment and understand the importance of being environmentally friendly."
The children wrote letters to all the major supermarket chains on the Island, asking them to stop giving away plastic bags and wrote to IW Council leader Cllr Andy Sutton requesting council support.
The supermarkets did not promise to change their plastic bag policy and Cllr Sutton said there would be no change in council policy on the issue.
However, he did offer advice on how pupils could persuade others to change their habits.
Despite those setbacks the children persevered and designed a pattern for a cotton bag.
Bags were made up by an Island T-shirt company and more than 100 have been sold at the school's organic shop at the Farmers' Market in Newport.
Mrs Johnson said: "They took the initiative and are trying to change people's habits. They have done a great job talking to people and spreading the message."
The school will be presented with its prize on Friday, March 24, by Rotary district environmental officer Colin Dewsnap. The money will go towards the school's willow fence-making project.