Pupils to clean-up after meeting Deputy Mayor at The Braid

Cllr Timothy Gaston, Mid and East Antrim Borough Deputy Mayor, left, is shown with Borough Warden, Gary Gordon; Karen McMaster, Principal of Camphill Primary, pupils, Aileen and Sarah Macfarlane; Kevin Woodin, Borough Environmental Health Officer; Fourtowns pupils, Alex Jess and Caitlyn Brown; teacher Neil Bevington and Principal, Jim Millar.

This followed their participation in the ‘Bee Safe’ interactive learning experience, which used role play and real life scenarios to inform young people on how to ‘stay safe and make the right decisions’.

This examined road safety, drug and alcohol awareness, fire safety, farm safety and safety on public transport as well as environmental issues.

“Both schools took the time and effort to complete a post ‘Bee Safe’ competition quiz and returned their entries to Council’s Environmental Health officers and their efforts have now been officially recognised,” said Cllr Gaston.

“In recognition of the environmental aspect and awareness of the environment - in particular about litter – the schools were given ‘litter pickers’ for their use at school and to encourage them to take further interest in environmental issues,” he said.

‘Bee Safe’ is targeted at P7 pupils as they will be leaving primary school and moving in to post primary education, often with changes in how they get to and from school and the presentation purpose is to reward their efforts.

Both Fourtowns and Camphill primary schools were invited to The Braid, Ballymena, to meet Cllr Gaston and to receive their recognition, and of course, their litter pickers to carry on the good work.