Community clean up at the DW Stadium - October 2010
The Environmental Education Team and Neighbourhoods Teams worked together to carry out a clean up around the DW Stadium with the support of both Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors. The area cleaned included Robin Park Road, Loire Drive and Frith Street and Stadium way. The area is a hotspot for fly tipping and litter throwing from drivers. It is also a high risk area for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service due to higher than average incidents of fire. Altogether the volunteers collected over a hundred bags of rubbish which weighed in at just less than half a tonne.
Other partners that got involved were Asda who supplied free refreshments, DW Fitness who provided guest gym passes and Wigan Athletic who gave every volunteer a free ticket for one of their home games. Street Cleansing also supported the event by collecting all the rubbish that was gathered and by sweeping the area.
The Environmental Education Team delivered an assembly at Marsh Green Primary before the clean up took place about the importance of keeping the area around the DW Stadium and Robin Retail Park clean and tidy. This is particularly important as so many people visit the stadium and the Retail Park every year. The pupils then took part in the clean up.
Eco-Schools celebration event - October 2010
Wigan Council Staff at a celebration event at Haigh Hall to thank schools for achieving their Eco-Schools awards
All schools from Wigan Borough that achieved an Eco-Schools award in the last year were invited to an Eco-Schools celebration event at Haigh Hall on 6th October 2010. 31 schools achieved a bronze, silver or green flag award in the 2009/2010 school year and 24 of these schools were able to attend the event. Each school was presented with a certificate by the Mayor to thank them for the environmental work that they have carried out in their school.
The day was really successful and the schools were given the opportunity to learn more about the work that the Environmental Education Team are carrying out to help the environment. They were told about how they can get involved in council projects and they were also given the opportunity to share ideas as lots of schools across the borough are carrying out successful environmental projects around the 9 Eco-Schools topics of Biodiversity, Energy, Global Perspectives, Healthy Living, Litter, School Grounds, Transport, Waste and Water.
Schools were also told about how successful they have been on the Eco-Schools Programme as 91% of schools in Wigan Borough are now registered as an Eco-School which puts us 5th out 159 local authorities for the amount of schools registered. 22% of schools in Wigan Borough have now achieved the prestigious green flag award which puts us 1st in England for the amount of schools that have achieved their green flag.
Schools across Wigan have participated in making an Eco-Schools video to show what their school has achieved since becoming an Eco-School. The video can be viewed on You Tube. To view please click the link.
Eco-Schools video (External link)
Tidy Business Awards - August 2010
Staff from the Fresh Food Hut with Council Staff at Rose Bridge High allotment
Wigan Council came runner up nationally in Keep Britain Tidy's Business Awards (TBA's) in March 2010. Currently 75 businesses in Wigan Borough have signed up to the scheme and we are hoping to promote the scheme widely throughout 2011. TBA's award businesses with either bronze, silver or gold depending on how well they dispose of their waste and improve their environmental performance.
In August 2010 the Fresh Food Hut based in Wigan Town Centre went a step further. Not only did they gain Healthy Business Status from Wigan Council, but they also linked in with Rose Bridge High School. The school has a large allotment on site and the Fresh Food Hut has gone into partnership with the school to purchase fresh vegetables for its customers to enjoy.
Owner Sara Jones said "We have recently been awarded Healthy Business Status by Wigan Council which shows our commitment to supplying healthy food. By going into partnership with Rose Bridge High School we can help to keep their allotments sustainable and ensure that our customers get the freshest ingredients."
Helen Sharples from Rose Bridge High School said "Selling our food to the Fresh Food Hut is a great way to involve our pupils in making our allotment site a business and will help us to keep the project running."
Wildflower planting - March 2010
Pupils from Standish Environment Group enjoying their new wildflower meadow
The Environmental Education Team worked with the Standish Environment Group to carry out improvements to their local area. The group consists of the three local primary schools Wood Fold, St Marie's and St Wilfrid's. Over the past few years the group has been responsible for litter picking and designing a metal sculpture and tree planting.
More recently the group was involved in sewing a wildflower meadow on the area of space opposite St Marie's Church in Standish. The land was prepared by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and worked with pupils to scatter a variety of wildflower seeds. The wildflowers grew into a colourful meadow during the Summer for the benefit of local residents and wildlife.
This project was funded through the Brighter Borough Fund. Councillor George Fairhurst said "I am very pleased that we have been able to involve children from the Primary Schools in this project. It will help them to understand the importance of wildflowers and how they benefit the local environtment. Wildflowers help to support local biodiversity such as insects, butterflies, bees and birds."
