Braintree schools scoop cash prizes in the Yellow Woods Challenge - 9 November 2004
St Andrew's C of E Primary School, Halstead, and St Andrew’s Primary School, Bulmer, have each won £300 and been named joint ‘Gold Oak’ winners in the Braintree Yellow Woods Challenge – the simple, educational and fun environmental initiative run by Yellow Pages and the Woodland Trust working with Braintree District Council.For the last six weeks, ten local schools have been competing in the Yellow Woods Challenge, which encourages schoolchildren to collect old Yellow Pages directories – featuring walking fingers on the front cover. The schools have collected 2,151 old directories to be recycled into low grade packaging by Essex Reclamation.
The joint top local honours go to St Andrew's C of E Primary School, Halstead, and St Andrew’s Primary School, Bulmer, for each collecting 2.64 old directories per pupil. Third place goes to Powers Hall Infant School which receives £100 and a ‘Bronze Beech’ certificate. Yellow Pages will also dedicate a tree in a Woodland Trust wood to St Andrew’s C of E Primary School, Halstead, for collecting the most directories in total.
All schools from the Braintree Challenge were entered into the Yellow Woods Challenge UK Finals in October 2004 where they competed with more than 1,300 schools from across the UK to win cash prizes of up to £2,000. And for every pound Yellow Pages awards to schools in prize money to schools, a matching pound is given to the Woodland Trust to help protect native woodland.
In addition to the cash prizes, the top six schools will each receive a Woodland Trust ‘Wild about Woods’ pack to teach children about ancient woodland and every participating school will be given a certificate featuring Kirk, the Challenge campaign mascot.
All participating schools have been given free educational materials containing fun environmental activities to teach children about recycling and woodland conservation.
Tania Roberge, environmental promotions officer at Braintree District Council, said: “The Yellow Woods Challenge has been a huge success in Braintree. Schools have had great fun recycling old directories and learning about the environment and woodland. It has also been a great opportunity for the council to raise the profile of recycling locally.”
Richard Duggleby, head of external relations at Yell, publisher of Yellow Pages directories, said: “This year’s Yellow Woods Challenge aims to build on the success of last year and the results from Braintree prove that young people in the UK are committed to making a difference to their environment. I would like to thank the children, parents and council who worked so hard collecting old Yellow Pages directories.”
For more information about the Yellow Woods Challenge, or to download the educational materials, visit: www.yellow-woods.co.uk.
