On Thursday 9 November, members of our Eco-Committee attended an event hosted by Greener Henley. Held at Henley College, the event aimed to bring primary, secondary, and further education students and teachers together to begin thinking about their schools' climate action plans.
Government policy currently states that schools should have a Climate and Nature Action Plan in place by 2025 to ensure that they have safeguarded against future climate risks, as well as ensure that they are working towards sustainable and ethical climate and nature practices.
Vice Chair of the Eco-Committee, Charlie Scott in Year 10, said:
“It was important for Shiplake to go to this because it shows that we are leading the way in how schools can take action to fight the dual-climate crisis (biodiversity and climate change).”
The event was established and led by Greener Henley volunteers Kate Oldridge and Shiplake’s own Mr Jack Burrows. Shiplake students attended alongside 16 other local schools, as well as members of the local press, local council and Henley Town Mayor Kellie Hinton. Shiplake students were involved in sharing their ideas on a range of topics, from biodiversity on the College campus to how people travel to school; where climate change and nature are learned about in the curriculum and how energy is used at school. Shiplake College students also led groups of primary school pupils to help nurture their ideas and articulate them onto worksheets.
Mr Burrows said:
“I was so proud to see the Shiplake students engaging the younger primary pupils with so much passion, maturity and enthusiasm. They did Shiplake very proud.”
Well done to James Middlehurst (Chair), Charlie Scott (Vice-Chair), Thomas Rowe, Matthew Perry and Will Bethell for representing the College at this event, and also thank you to Mr Cooper, Mrs Hendriks and Mr Burrows for accompanying.
The Shiplake Eco-Committee are working on a number of projects that address many aspects of climate and nature and their work is going to be really significant in helping Shiplake to establish its Climate and Nature Action Plan. If you are a current staff member or student and would like to be involved, then please email Mr Burrows [email protected].
