NEW 2022 Greensand Champions Winner Announced

Greensand Country, in partnership with The Greensand Trust has announced its new Greensand Champions for 2022. These are groups or individual young people who are doing something amazing for the Greensand Country environment.

This year’s Greensand Champions Winner is:

· Redborne Environmental Group – Run by staff members, Claire Bassett and Mark Brockway at Redborne Upper School, the Environmental Group has a student membership of more than 10, mostly Year 11 students. The group has been active in getting outdoors and engaging in local environmental conservation work in Ampthill and Flitwick.

2022 Greensand Champions Runners Up:

· Flitwick Scout Group – The group has undertaken a number of volunteering projects to help young people engage with local nature and learn about growing plants. Most recently, Flitwick Cubs, Scouts and leaders took part in helping to plant 2,000 blackthorn, hawthorn and hazel trees at Bromham Scout Campsite as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee.

· Swallowfield Lower School – For 10 years, the school’s Eco-Committee, with members from each year, has shared ideas to and from their peers. The volunteers have been gardening in the polytunnel, planting the wildlife area, composting fruit waste, collecting recycling, monitoring school energy use, and have participated in Switch Off Fortnight and Waste Week.

· Barnabas Oley C of E Primary School – As a school, Barnabus Oley has an Eco-Friendly Ethos and encourages pupils to recycle. The school uses different teaching methods, which include the importance of insects, plants, trees and pretty much the whole eco system and how they impact our environment. With this in mind, the school collects empty crisp packets, used batteries and ink cartridges and it sends these off to be recycled.

· Olly and Zac Knibbs – Olly and Zac have been volunteering to make a difference to the area of Greensand Country on their walk to school each day. They have taken the time to pick up litter and learn about the landscape they walk through. This has helped to keep the local area tidy and ensure that the waste is correctly sorted.

Find out more about our 2022 Greensand Champions at https://www.greensandcountry.com/support/greensand-champions/

Greensand Country Partnership Coordinator, Daniel Bowles explains:

“Our aim is to celebrate positive environmental action, support the achievements of those young people doing great work and challenge ourselves and others to do more – together we can really make a difference and help improve our local environment.

“Congratulations to our 2022 Greensand Champions winner, and to all of the groups and individuals that applied and received a bug hotel, with the winner receiving £250 to put towards their organisation. We’re proud of the fantastic work that you’re all doing for our local landscape and look forward to seeing what you’ve got in store next.”

Take a look at the Greensand Trust’s Greensand Champions Hall of Fame for details of the great work that has been delivered by all of our champions over the years https://www.greensandtrust.org/greensand-champions-hall-of-fame.

Find out more about Greensand Country at www.greensandcountry.com. Stay up to date with all of the latest information by following @greensandsocial on Twitter, and @greensandcountry on Facebook and Instagram.