Maldon district schools scoop cash prizes in the Yellow Woods Challenge - 12 October 2004
St Francis RC Primary School has won £300 and been named the ‘Gold Oak’ winner in the Maldon Yellow Woods Challenge – the simple, educational and fun environmental initiative run by Yellow Pages and the Woodland Trust working with Maldon District Council.For the last three weeks, 16 local schools have been competing in the Yellow Woods Challenge, which encourages school children to collect old Yellow Pages directories. The schools have collected 3,324 old directories to be recycled into cardboard.
The top local honours go to St Francis RC Primary School for collecting 2.22 old directories per pupil. Wentworth Primary School has come second, receiving £200 and a ‘Silver Birch’ certificate, whilst third place goes to Tollesbury County Primary School who will receive £100 and a ‘Bronze Beech’ certificate. For every pound Yellow Pages awards to schools in prize money, a matching pound is given to the Woodland Trust to help protect native woodland. Yellow Pages will also dedicate a tree in a Woodland Trust wood to Wentworth Primary School for collecting the most directories in total.
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.
Councillor Mrs Peel, chairman of the community services committee at Maldon District Council, said: “The Yellow Woods Challenge has been a huge success in Maldon. 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 Maldon 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.
