Kirk sets a new Yellow Woods Challenge for schoolchildren across Northern Ireland 2003/04 - 11 November 2003
The Yellow Woods Challenge 2003/04, the schools recycling initiative run by Yellow Pages, the Directory Recycling Scheme and the Woodland Trust was launched today by Kirk, the campaign’s mascot, with the help of Jamie Lee Lundy and Ryan O’Halloran of Scoil an Droichid, the Irish language school, that was the proud winner of last year’s Challenge in Belfast.
Now in its second year, the Yellow Woods Challenge is a fun educational and environmental programme that has been designed to encourage the recycling of old Yellow Pages, to reduce landfill and to educate children about the merits of recycling and the importance of looking after the environment.
Schoolchildren in participating local authorities simply bring old Yellow Pages to school for recycling and those collecting the most directories per pupil win cash prizes. One pupil from Fullerton House in Belfast last year enjoyed the Challenge so much he single-handedly collected a massive 99 old directories. Schools locally can win up to £300 and then compete nationally for the chance to win up to £2,000. For every pound awarded to schools by Yellow Pages, a matching pound is given to the Woodland Trust to help keep the UK’s native woodland alive.
The Yellow Woods Challenge 2003/04 builds on the huge success of last year’s campaign which saw nine councils and more than two hundred schools across Northern Ireland collect nearly 45,000 old Yellow Pages, the equivalent of almost 90 tonnes of old directories for recycling.
This year, three more councils have decided to take on the Challenge. Twelve councils* in Northern Ireland will compete, recruiting schools in their area to collect old Yellow Pages for recycling. All participating schools will be given free environmental education materials which, along with the campaign’s fun mascot Kirk, will bring the importance and relevance of recycling and woodland conservation messages to life in the classroom.
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity with 50 sites across Northern Ireland. Funds raised by the Yellow Woods Challenge 2003/04 will help to see woodland biodiversity** restored and improved.
Richard Duggleby, head of external relations at Yell, the publisher of Yellow Pages, said: "The Yellow Woods Challenge is a real winner. It benefits participating schools, communities, councils and recycling companies whilst helping the Woodland Trust to restore and improve woodland. It also increases children’s appreciation and understanding of the environment. We hope we can build on the success of last year’s campaign and see many more schools and councils getting involved in a great Challenge."
For further information please contact Catherine Agnew at Citigate on 02890395528 / 07779101360
Notes for editors
*The local authorities participating in the Yellow Woods Challenge 2003/04 in Northern Ireland are: Belfast, Down, Antrim, Ballymena, Coleraine, Limavady, Omagh, Magherafelt, Larne, Strabane, Dungannon and South Tyrone and Banbridge.
** Biodiversity is an expression of the variety of living things and of the richness and vitality of our environment. It encompasses the total number of species and the genetic variation within species, together with the diversity and extent of habitats which they comprise and which support them.
Yellow Woods Challenge
The Yellow Woods Challenge is a simple, educational and fun schools environmental campaign run by Yellow Pages, the Directory Recycling Scheme and the Woodland Trust. The Challenge involves working with local authorities and recycling organisations to encourage the recycling of Yellow Pages directories, save landfill, educate children about the environment and help keep UK woodland alive.
The Yellow Woods Challenge 2003/04 aims to involve up to 1,200 schools in challenges across the UK. Schools that collect the most Yellow Pages directories per pupil can win cash prizes from a total prize fund of £50,000. For every pound given to schools in cash prizes, a pound will be given to the Woodland Trust. For further details, email: yellow.woods@yellgroup.com or call 023 8023 6806.
Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages are published by Yell, a leading international directories business operating in the classified advertising market through printed, online and telephone–based media. Yell’s products in the UK also include the Business Pages directory, Yell.com, Yellow Pages 118 24 7 and in the US, Yellow Book and Yellowbook.com.
The Directory Recycling Scheme
The Directory Recycling Scheme, sponsored by Yellow Pages, works with local authorities to encourage an increase in the number of Yellow Pages directories that UK households recycle. It runs a freephone helpline (0800 671 444)* for the public to call to find out the nearest recycling point for their old Yellow Pages. Internet users can find this information via www.yellgroup.com
* Lines open Monday – Friday from 8.30am – 5.30pm
The Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 250,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: a) No further loss of ancient woodland; b) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; c) Increasing new native woodland; d) Increasing people’s awareness and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,100 sites in its care covering approximately 19,000 hectares (47,000 acres). It offers free public access to nearly all of its sites. Further news can be accessed via www.woodland-trust.org.uk
For media enquiries contact: Simon Hopkinson, Corporate Communications Officer on 01476 581112 or 07786 110003, email simonhopkinson@woodland-trust.org.uk or the Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, e-mail media@woodland-trust.org.uk
