Eco-Schools Network Minutes 09-07-09
Link: Previous Minutes
NOTES OF THE ECO SCHOOLS NETWORK MEETING
on Thursday 9th July at 4.15 PM at Weston Road High School
- Present:
Karen Davies, Stafford BC
Emma Ray, Staffs CC, Waste Management
Julie Smith, St Michael's
Caitlen Moon
Lyndsey Eastwood SWT
Mick Bailey, Streetscene
Ian Johnstone
Jeanette Owen, Stafford Sports School
Kate Russell, Staffs CC, School Improvement Division
Chris Jones, SCC Waste Management
- Apologies:
Jan Mellor - Staffs County Council Healthy Schools Co-ordinator
Roz Butterworth - Perton First School
Julia Barraclough - Groundwork
Head Teacher - All Saints Standon
Jo Perry - Staffs Wildlife Trust
Margaret Prince - Hixon
Richard West - Penkridge Middle School
Karen Bryan - Barnfields
Kate Edgecombe - Austin's
Sarah Hibbits
Tracey Carey - Walton High School
- Notes of last meeting
Agreed as correct and all matters arising on agenda.
Karen, Kate and Mark had met to give an update on the Network's activities and our work previously on sustainable schools, our trip to DCFS and presentations to/survey of Primary Heads.
Karen had contacted several people inc at Government Office West Midlands to find out about the fruit in schools cardboard issue - awaiting feedback. Karen to chase.
We are ten years olsd this year - let's celebrate somehow in the Autumn!
Thoughts? (All).
- Streetscene - what they do and how they can work with schools
Mick Bailey and Ian Johnstone talked to the group. A summary is given below.
Streetscene was established in 2004 and is a branch of the Borough Council, within a section called Environmental Maintenance Services.
We are responsible for the general operations and day-to-day maintenance of, Parks, Recreational Areas and Open spaces.
The services we provide include: Street cleaning, Litter Picking, Removal of Sharps/Glass, Flytipping, Grasscutting, Flower and Shrub bedding, Play Areas, Sport pitches and the provision of Car Parks.
Our main aim is to enhance and protect the environment, and also from a customer point of view to highlight, educate and promote awareness to outside agencies, such as Schools, Parish Councils etc what we do and can do for them also.
This can be in the form of giving presentations, attending meetings, and making regular contact to make people aware of what Streetscene is about.
To conclude, it is my job as a Customer Initiatives Officer to ensure we are giving the correct message to all organisations and also constantly working towards improving Streetscene, as well as offering other stakeholders help in various forms, with respect to what we do.
For example we have just been involved in a school competition highlighting the sensitive issue of School Parking - which involved us working alongside schools, the police and enforcement officers.
Mick and Ian's Team are able to work with schools in several ways eg can lend litter pickers, vests and bags for litter picks, can give talks/presentations, welcome visits to The Nursery at Riverway, can make available wood chip free of charge to schools and sometimes have plants available too.
Contact Ian or Mick at 01785 619368 or 619401 or email ijohnstone@staffordbc.gov.uk or mbailey@staffordbc.gov.uk
- Eco-Schools Show 2009
Karen Bryan from Barnfields was unfortunately poorly. However she had kindly phoned in an update as follows:
14 children and 2 adults had gone to the show at Stoneleigh. SBC had provided some funding to support the trip through Karen's budget. It was a very good and thought provoking day. There were lots of stalls and free samples and the children came away with lots of ideas. Eg what you could make with recycled materials.
There were workshops for adults and children. Barnfields went to the Energy Workshop, They made lots of contacts. They were given a Green Handbook, which all schools should have received. Julie will bring her copy to show the group at the next meeting. Thanks for the update Karen.
Staffs Wildlife Trust update
Lyndsey told the group that SWT had hosted over 2000 children on environmental education visits this year.
Another SWT environmental education centre is about to open in Stoke at Westport Lakes. It will have several 'sustainable construction' features.
A climate change programme is being developed. An 'energy trail' is also being created at the HQ/grounds, with examples of renewable energy technologies.
Kate Russell offered to send out any relevant information about events/news through the school bag. Thanks Kate.
The Wildlife Trust are holding a Green Festival on August 5th aimed at families/children.
Playscheme activities are taking place over the summer hols too:
http://www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/
- Waste Management Update
Emma and Chris gave an update on some of their activities.
Caitlen and Julie told the group that they had been to a recent meeting of the Yputh Council and had been very frustrated by the attitude of some comments given by officers/participants, particularly one off the cuff comment that 'children weren't interested in recycling'.
The group feels that there should be much better recycling facilities for schools by now!!!
We thought it would be useful for everyone to ask their pupils a simple question when they get back to school in the Autumn:
"Are you interested in recycling?"
We might also ask:
"Do you recycle at school?"
"Do you recycle at home?"
Julie will look up who made the comment above and we will give them the results of our simple survey. Can EVERYBODY bring back their figures to the next meeting please? Many thanks!
Emma and chris have been busy at a range of events eg County Show eg launch event for Derrington Low Carbon Community.
They are happy to do talks on composting and have already been into Christchurch First School, St Dominic's and St John's.
Their emphasis is on waste minimisation, esp food (eh Love Food Hate Waste campaign). Contact details: 0300 111 8000 (SCC switchboard)
- Stafford BC
Karen's Team is being restructured and will now be known as the climate Change and Sustainable Development Team. There is a lot going on:
The Stafford Annual Family Bike Ride on 28th June went ell
Green Awards has now closed for entries - we have around 40 applications which we are thrilled with! This consists of around 7 schools - I know there are more schools out there doing great green things - where were you!??
Back 2 Bikes the bike recycling project celebrated it's fifth birthday this June!
Bike Week was celebrated with a Bikers Walkers Breakfast for SBC and SCC employees
There is a lot of work/events taking place on our Local Nature Reserves.
Look at www.staffordbc.gov.uk/sd for more news!
Imminent event - Derrington Way Ahead - our low carbon community project holds its next event on July 14th - we are hosting a speaker called Richard Davies, to talk about Climate Change - he's very good.
This event went well - visit Derrington's web pages for an update on this exciting project!!!
http://www.derringtonvillagehall.btik.com/
- Feedback from Schools
St Michael's
Entered Stone in Bloom; holding an event on Green Britain Day to celebrate all the schools' fantastic activities and share these with the community;
Stafford Sports College
Have organised a Sunflower Growing competition; children are taking pictures over the holiday of places where other communities are recycling eg where they go on holiday. This sound very interesting! Karen offered to provide a prize/prizes. Jeanette is going to do the same at her old school in Germany. She agreed she would feed back to the whole group with the results at the next meeting - thanks! I'll put you on the agenda.
St Austin's
Rejoined Morrisons 'Let's grow' scheme; planted potatoes from our Morrisons vouchers in our new potato barrel; been weeding in the school grounds; planted trees to form a hedge around some of our land
St Leonard's Stafford
They have been on a trip to the Centre for Alternative Technology at Machynlleth - with some fun ding support from SBC via Karen's budget; they have Elliott the Eco-Bat.
- AOB
Elliott is at St Leonard's Dunston. See him after the summer hols. Julie and St Michael's are going to have a stall at the Stone Food and Drink Festival and would like to take Elliott.
Julie will promote Eco-Schools her - (we can provide some literature and materials, Karen).
St Michael's have been using their own school grown veg in the kitchen - is there any SCC policy on this? Karen ask Melanie Swanwick.
Karen asked if any schools would like class sets of the 3rd edition of the Staffs Local Food Directory - yes please Julie and Jeanette. Anyone else? Get in touch with me!
- Date of next meeting: Thursday September 24th at 4.15 pm at Weston Road High School
Look forward to seeing you there!! Karen kdavies@staffordbc.gov.uk 01785 619408 ps if you receive these minutes through the post but can receive them by email please get in touch to switch!!!!
Link: Previous Minutes
