The Midcounties Co-operative has been helping school students learn how to tackle plastic pollution at an environmental workshop at its Young Co-operator’s Conference in Droitwich.
More than 80 students from seven secondary schools across Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Wiltshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire attended the workshop hosted by the co-op.
Students created their own social media campaign, including an Instagram advert and hashtags to raise awareness of plastic waste, and they pledged to adopt new eco-friendly habits.
Eco-environmentalist and founder of Paddle Against Plastic, Cal Major, was a key speaker at the event. The Paddle Against Plastic campaign aims to raise awareness of the amount of plastic being washed up on beaches in the UK and find positive solutions to combat the issue.
The Midcounties Co-operative also partnered with The Outward Bound Trust for the day to host outdoor activities and team building exercises. The Outward Bound Trust is an educational charity that uses the outdoors to help young people develop communication, teamwork and leadership skills.
The conference is in its fourth year and brings together students and teachers to learn about the threats facing the planet and how to resolve them.
Alex Bennett, head of corporate partnerships at Outward Bound said: “The Young Co-operator’s Conference included activities to suit all of the students and I hope that the children stick to their sustainability pledges.”
Marnie Richards, developing young people co-ordinator at The Midcounties Co-operative, said: “Protecting the environment is a priority for us and educating young people is one of the main ways that we can make a difference.
“There was a great atmosphere on the day and it was obvious that the children were inspired by Cal and her efforts to save our coastlines. It was really encouraging to see so many students from up and down the country determined to change their behaviour to be more environmentally friendly.”
