Local Youth Speak out on Food Waste

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: Columba O'Hare; Category: News; Published: 07 March 2017

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This Year’s Environmental Youth Speak Competition saw the emphasis placed on food waste.

Chris Kent 30 October and Blondie Tribute 28 December @ Canal Court Hotel

The competition challenges Primary and Secondary school pupils to impress a panel of judges by presenting an environmentally themed, five minute speech.

Winners of the Senior Section of Environmental Youth Speak 2017 left to right 2nd Ruairdhri Linden St Louis Grammar School Kilkeel, Celine Rice Natural World Products (Sponsor), Winner Mia Comer Sacred Heart Grammar School Newry, Chairperson Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick and 3rd Niall Rice St Malachy's High School Castlewellan.

This year the topics were ‘Food Glorious Food, Don’t Waste It!’ for the junior section and ‘Help Save The Planet. Say No To Food Waste!’ for the senior section. These topics were chosen due to changing bin legislation, as from April 2017 residents across the Newry, Mourne and Down District will no longer be able to put food waste in their black bins and instead must recycle it in their brown bin.

After a highly competitive morning of speeches, the judging panel chose Matthew Magee from St Malachy’s Primary School, Camlough as this year’s junior winner and Mia Comer from Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry as the senior winner. Runners up in the junior section were Eadaoin Trainer from Cloughoge Primary School, Newry and Cormac O’Hare from Our Lady and St Patrick’s Primary School, Downpatrick. Runners up in the senior section were Ruairdhri Linden from St Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel and Niall Rice from St Malachy’s High School, Castlewellan.

Matthew Magee, pupil at St Malachy's Primary School, Camlough won the Junior Section of the Environmental Youth Speak 2017 taking place in St Patrick's Centre, Downpatrick. Matthew receives his prize from Celine Rice, Natural World Products and Chairperson Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick.

All participants received a certificate for taking part and the winners vouchers were kindly sponsored by Natural World Products.

Council Chairperson, Gillian Fitzpatrick, speaking to the pupils and their guests said, “I am very impressed with everyone who took part in this year’s Environmental Youth Speak. You have put a great deal of effort into researching the issues and have impressed me with how well you have been able to express your views. You are a credit to your schools and families who should all be rightly very proud of you.”

Environmental Youth Speak 2017 Photo 1 Five spot prizes of £15 Amazon vouchers were presented to the lucky winners by Chairperson Newry, Mourne and Down Council, Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick and Celine Rice representing Sponsors Natural World Products. Back row l-r Ellie Magee St Nicholas’s PS Ardglass, Aileen Kearney Ballyholland PS, Sarah Brennan St Joseph’s PS Crossgar, front row l-r Celine Rice, Poppy McCormick Kingsmill PS, Erin Doyle Christ The King PS Ballynahinch and Chairperson Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick.

Councillor Fitzpatrick continued, “Food waste is such an important and current waste management issue. We cannot continue to throw away food as we have been doing in the past. We need to reduce the amount of food we generate, reuse food more and, where that is not possible, recycle food waste using our brown wheelie bins. After all it can be transformed into rich compost – which is so much better than the alternative of sending it to landfill.”

The 2017 Environmental Youth Speak was held in St Patrick's Centre, Downpatrick and the standard of speakers was outstanding. The Judges had a difficult task and are pictured with the prizewinners in both the Junior and Senior Section. back row left to right Senior Section 3rd Niall Rice, St Malachy's High School Castlewellan, Senior Section 2nd Ruairdhri Linden, St Louis Grammar School Kilkeel, Junior Section 2nd Eadaoin Trainer Cloghogue Primary School Newry, Junior Section 3rd Cormac O'Hare Our Lady and St Patrick's Primary School Downpatrick, front row l-r Cathy Gorman Eco Schools NI (Judge), Celine Rice Natural World Products, (Sponsor and judge), Winner Junior Section Matthew Magee St Malachy's Primary School Camlough, Winner Senior Section Mia Comer Sacred Heart Grammar School Newry accepting their prizes from Chairperson Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick, Judge Eoin Devlin Assistant Director Health and Wellbeing NMDDC.

From April 2017 all households in the district should have a brown wheelie bin and no food waste will be accepted in the black wheelie bin. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council hope that everyone will embrace the new legislation and ensure that they recycle all of their food waste.

For more information on food waste changes you can contact the Council’s Waste Management section on 0300 013 2233 or check nmdcouncil on Facebook for updates.