Swansea schools scoop cash prizes in the Yellow Woods Challenge - 19 October 2004
Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bryn-Y-Mor has won £300 and been named the ‘Gold Oak’ winner in the Swansea Yellow Woods Challenge – the simple, educational and fun environmental initiative run by Yellow Pages and the Woodland Trust working with Swansea Council.For eight weeks, 38 local schools competed in the Yellow Woods Challenge, which encourages schoolchildren to collect old Yellow Pages directories – featuring sandcastles on the front cover. The schools have collected 7,847 old directories to be recycled.
The top local honours go to Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bryn-Y-Mor for collecting 6.41 old directories per pupil. Pennard Primary School has come second, receives £200 and a ‘Silver Birch’ certificate, whilst third place goes to Grange Primary School which receives £100 and a ‘Bronze Beech’ certificate. Yellow Pages will also dedicate a tree in a Woodland Trust wood to Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bryn-Y-Mor for collecting the most directories in total.
In addition to the cash prizes, the top six schools will receive a Woodland Trust ‘Wild about Woods’ pack to teach children about ancient woodland. Every participating school will be given a certificate featuring Kirk, the Challenge campaign mascot, and free educational materials containing fun environmental activities to teach children about recycling and woodland conservation.
All schools from the Swansea Challenge were entered into the Yellow Woods Challenge UK Finals where they competed with more than 1,300 schools from across the UK to win cash prizes of up to £2,000. Ysgol Gunradd Gymraeg Bryn-Y-Mor was successful, winning the ‘Silver Birch’ accolade, and receiving a cheque for £1,000 for collecting the second highest number of old Yellow Pages directories for recycling by a large school. For every pound Yellow Pages has awarded to schools in prize money, a matching pound has been given to the Woodland Trust to help protect native woodland.
Rhian Wyn Jones, headteacher with Ysgol Gunradd Gymraeg Bryn-Y-Mor School, said: “I am so proud of the children for reaching the UK Finals of the Yellow Woods Challenge. I’d also like to thank the families and local community who helped us collect so many Yellow Pages. The money we’ve won will help towards creating a multi-sensory garden in the school grounds.”
Rob Thomas, recycling officer at Swansea Council, said: “The Yellow Woods Challenge has been a huge success in Swansea. 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 Swansea 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.
