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Twenty five local schools have been recognised for their environmental work at this year’s Eco-Schools Green Flag Awards with Saint Joseph's Convent Primary School in Newry coming out as overall Eco-School of the Year.
The Eco-Schools programme is run by the Foundation for Environmental Education, a non-governmental, non-profit organisation based in Denmark, and is managed in Northern Ireland by environmental charity, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. It was developed in 1994 as a response to an identified need to involve young people in finding solutions to environmental and sustainable development challenges at local level. Eco-Schools operates in 59,000 schools across 74 countries.
Schools received Green Flags with special recognition for the Eco-Teacher and Eco-Pupil of the Year. The awards have been supported by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Nexus.
2023 winners
Green Flag: Cortamlet Primary School, Dromore Road Primary School, Grange Primary School, Holy Cross Primary School, Our Lady's Grammar School RM, St Colmcille's Nursery School, St Mary's Primary School RM, St Mary's Primary School, St Nicholas Primary School, St Patrick's Primary School, All Children’s Integrated Primary School, Ashgrove Nursery School, Cumran Primary School, Down High School, Killean Primary School, Our Lady and St Patrick Primary School, St Brigid's (Drumilly) Primary School, St Columban's Primary School, St Joseph's Convent Primary School, St Joseph's Primary School, St Laurence O'Toole's Primary School, St Ronan's Primary School, St. Brigid's Primary School, Downpatrick Primary School, St Paul's Primary School.
Eco-School of the Year (Sponsored by the Housing Executive): St. Joseph’s Convent Primary School
Eco-Teacher of the Year (Sponsored by the Housing Executive): Miss Nadine Crozier, Sacred Heart PS, Dundrum
Eco-Pupil of the Year: Logan Gray, Sacred Heart PS, Dundrum
Sinead Murray, Environmental Education Coordinator at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful said “This year we have been really impressed by the quality of applications from schools across the council area. Pupils and teachers have really stepped up and get the importance of taking concrete against the climate emergency. The creativity and determination displayed by pupils can give all of us confidence in the future. We are delighted to see the ethos of the Eco-Schools programme so warmly embraced by so many schools.”
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Valerie Harte, who attended an awards presentation event at The Saint Patrick Centre in Downpatrick said, “It has been inspiring to see the vision and passion children across the district have for the environment and to learn more about their ideas.
“Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has been a long-time supporter of the Eco-Schools programme and is delighted to have hosted a wonderful celebration event recognising our schools’ award winning environmental work”
Housing Executive Chair Nicole Lappin said: “Congratulations to all of this year’s winners: more new Green Flags, with special recognition for the council’s best Eco-School and Eco-Teacher of the Year.
“We would like to reiterate the importance of educating our young people in energy and environmental awareness and taking direct action for the protection of our environment. We believe it is vitally important for them to be fully aware of how precious our world is and that we need to do all we can to protect it.
“We are delighted to support these excellent Eco-Schools NI projects. We’ve been really impressed with the standard of work being produced by teachers, pupils, and the wider community. Their enthusiasm is truly inspirational and we are proud to support them in ensuring a better future for everyone."
The programme is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, local councils and a number of generous sponsors who support the programme’s selection of topics, which schools can choose to follow based on their location, interests or the wishes of their pupils.
