Fifth Green Flag Award for Silverstream Primary School

This academic year has seen some inspiring work with 56 schools now signed up to the 'Plastic Promise', aiming to put an end to throwaway plastics.

The Eco-Schools programme, operated by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is a pupil-led initiative which empowers young people to make positive environmental changes in their schools and communities.

Silverstream Primary School in Greenisland received their fifth Green Flag Award from Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, with assessors commending the enthusiasm for outdoor learning throughout the school.

The Green Flag award is recognised internationally, setting a standard of outstanding environmentalism and sustainability.

Some 132 Green Flags have been awarded this year.

Environment Minister, Edwin Poots MLA said: “Eco-Schools in an excellent programme for educating and informing young people, connecting them to nature and empowering them to create change both locally and globally on our journey towards a sustainable environment.

“Supporting the Eco-Schools programme is a major contributor in working towards this goal. It is encouraging to see the strength of the programme continue to grow and how focused teachers and pupils have remained on working towards a sustainable environment during this pandemic.

“In light of Covid-19, and even more so now, we would encourage every school in NI to get involved and ingrain the ethos of Eco-Schools into their everyday actions. There is no time like the present to help make change.”