Young people rise to the challenge to help save our planet
Inspired by conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, young people from Roots & Shoots groups across the UK gathered at the Barbican Centre in London to celebrate the 2019 Roots & Shoots UK Awards.
This annual awards ceremony highlights the achievements of groups and individuals who have done amazing things to help people, animals and the environment as part of the global Roots & Shoots community founded by Dr. Jane Goodall.
“Yesterday was a real landmark for Roots & Shoots,” commented Tara Golshan, executive director of Roots & Shoots UK.
“Twelve years on from when we started in the UK, the programme has gone from strength to strength. The awards were truly delightful, moving and inspirational. Our young members displayed creativity, resilience and perseverance in their endeavours to secure and preserve the future of our planet. Long may it continue.”
From creating and selling beeswax food wraps to organising litter picks, from fundraising to build toilets in developing countries to caring for hedgehogs, and from organising meat-free school meals to helping entire towns go plastic-free, these young people embody the empowering purpose of Roots & Shoots.
Dr Jane Goodall chatted to the groups as they explained their work to her with colourful displays, and commented that “young people are the ones that give me the greatest hope for our environment.”
The event also included a performance of ‘Dancing against the tide of plastic’, created by students from Queen Elizabeth II High School to represent the damage plastic pollution does to sea life.
