Hundreds of school children in Wakefield to take part in ‘climate change relay’ in call for carbon neutral schools

Hundreds of youngsters are expected to take part in the event to raise awareness of their campaign for carbon neutral schools.

The event has been organised by Wakefield School Climate Change Action Group.

Each school in the action group has climate leaders – teachers and pupils who meet to raise awareness of the climate emergency.

The group has created an online petition for more to be done about climate change.

The petition calls on the government to commit to at UK schools being carbon neutral by 2030

To promote their campaign they have enlisted 50 schools to take part in the relay event.

Youngsters will cover almost 50 miles over ten days, walking from school to school and passing on a wooden baton which has been crafted for the occasion.

The relay will start on Wednesday June 7 from Northfield Primary School, South Kirkby.

The baton will then change hands at different schools across the district including Wakefield, Castleford, Normanton and Horbury before the event ends at Grove Lea Primary School, Hemsworth, on June 20.

Along the way they will be joined by civic leaders, including Wakefield Council deputy leader Jack Hemingway.

Coun Hemingway, who is also portfolio holder for environment and climate change, said: “We are so proud of our local schools for organising this petition calling on government to commit to all UK schools being carbon zero by 2030.

“Young people are leading the way on climate action and this petition matches our own commitment to make our organisation carbon neutral by 2030 – which includes our maintained schools.

“That’s why we are supporting and taking part in this brilliant event and helping our schools to have their voice heard on the climate crisis, to shape the future world they will grow up in.”

The petition was set up by Craig Thorpe, assistant headteacher at Moorthorpe Primary School, who has also helped organise the relay.

He said: “As well as raising awareness of the petition, the purpose of the walk is to provide an opportunity for schools across Wakefield to connect and for the children in the district to have their voices heard on the issue of climate change.

“We want the government to be more ambitious and more specific with their targets for creating zero carbon schools for future generations to learn in.”

The event has also been been supported by Roger Parkinson, from the Woodland Trust, who made the relay baton.

Petitions which have over 10,000 signatures will receive a response from the government.

Those with more 100,000 will be considered for debate in parliament.

The petition can be viewed at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/636081

In November last year, senior councillors approved an £8.8m project to replace its fleet of petrol and diesel cars and vans with electric vehicles.

Council staff drive over 500 vehicles and operate more than 600 other pieces of equipment, such as tractors and ride-on mowers.

The authority is currently testing a battery-powered refuse collection vehicle in the hope that larger diesel vehicles can also be replaced.