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As Ringwood’s work on the One World theme continued throughout the Summer term, we tried to meet the Roots & Shoots challenge of spreading the word of Roots & Shoots (Exercise 2 of J’s Lost Notebook). The many school and community projects that we have been involved with and that are described below, have allowed us to share the ideas of Roots & Shoots.

We agree with the Roots & Shoots principle that is so beautifully demonstrated with the Greater Gombe ecosystem, that making small scale local changes can make a big difference over time. Our first application of this principle relates to Fairtrade. Our Chronobots have worked throughout the year to raise the profile of Fairtrade in the community. To …

Read all of One World: People in a Global Village - Mission Update!!

We held our World Environment Day on Tuesday 8 June 2010.  We had over 350 visitors from primary and secondary schools as well as members of the public.  We had a marquee where exhibitors displayed their environmental projects and activities.  In the afternoon, working with ICC (International Climate Challenge) we had a Young People’s Action on Climate Change workshop specifically for secondary schools, to explore:

The global dimensions to climate change, meeting the sustainable school’s doorway and making connections between students’ work in the UK, India and Kenya.
How student-led action can really make a difference, with an opportunity to get involved in ICC’s Inspiring Young Change-maker initiative.

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Turners Hill School have recently completed a project that they called the “Great Big Energy Saving Project”.

The idea of the project was to consolidate and add to what they had already learnt. The children made a papier-mache thermometer with a world at the base to use as a measure, the target being to be completely carbon neutral.

The children looked at the school and talked about what we already do to help the environment. They surveyed all the school children to see which of our projects they thought made the biggest difference to the environment. By doing this it really brought home to our children how much we do. The list included:
Wind turbines
Solar Panels
Composting
Chickens
Recycling
Planting our own wood
Bugs Hotel Walking …

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To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Jane Goodall’s work in Gombe we organised our first overnight road trip. Plans were made and then remade, and finally our destination was agreed upon.

We were very lucky to be awarded funding to cover the cost of the journey by the Stratosphere Science Museum in Aberdeen; however, following discussion amongst the agents it was decided that it was an unnecessary expenditure of museum resources and we declined their kind offer.

To ensure an early start the agents gathered the night before our journey and for a while pandemonium reigned with bags, coats and goodness knows what paraphernalia being declared essential travel companions by an extremely excited group of kids who were finally persuaded to trudge …

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A Community Orchard has been planted in the grounds of St Christopher’s High School.

The school’s Eco-Group were keen to plant the orchard to demonstrate that it is possible to grow your own fruit, even in Accrington, and the project will also highlight that fruit is seasonal. Although the trees are on school land the resulting fruit will be for the community who will benefit from free, locally-grown fruit without the CO2 contributions of transporting imported fruit.

The idea was initiated by the Eco group and helped by The PROSPECTS Foundation which is eager to help communities respond to climate change, and funding was granted by …

Read all of St Christopher’s Fruity Future