Northumberland Wildlife Trust, the largest environmental charity in the region working to safeguard native wildlife, have been busy again over the school’s half-term holidays. Keenly aware of how litter can disfigure a place, they have been working with young people in North Tyneside to improve their environment.
Silent litter-picking disco in Howdon
So it was that twenty young people from the Howdon Community Hub in North Tyneside have been spending time at a silent disco, while also cleaning up an area and having lots of fun.
The event was part of a special programme funded by the Ernest Cook Trust; Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Blue Influencer Project. The project empowers 10 to 14 year-olds to design and lead environmental and social action projects across Northumberland’s coast and river communities.
Local residents Matilda and Alice teamed up with staff at the Howdon Community Hub, inspired by a recent plastic pollution workshop. Northumberland Wildlife Trust then organised this unique clean-up and soon twenty young people, “equipped with headphones and plenty of enthusiasm”, were dancing their way around Howdon, “collecting litter and earning smiles and thanks from passersby”.
The team were joined by local litter-picking champion Adam Carruthers, who shared his expertise and passion from his ongoing mission to keep Howdon clean. The day wrapped up with a quiz about plastic pollution, prizes for the top collectors, and a well deserved pizza party.
Northumberland Wildlife Trust Eco-Mentor Rhiannon Studholme summed it up: “A massive thank you to The Ernest Cook Trust for turning the young peoples’ dreams into a reality. Music, teamwork, learning, and community pride, what a combination.”
Getting their sleeves rolled up
Northumberland Wildlife Trust is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts across the UK, and has campaigned for nature conservation for over fifty years. It aims to educate, inform, and involve people of all ages and backgrounds in protecting their environment in favour of wildlife and conservation.
They are “supported by over 12,000 individual and forty corporate members in the region, Northumberland Wildlife Trust manages and protects critical species and habitats at over sixty nature reserves throughout Newcastle, North Tyneside, and Northumberland”.
This is another great example of the important work of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, who like nothing more than rolling up their sleeves and getting on with improving the environment of our region, for the benefit of both humans and wildlife. You can learn more about their work and how you can get involved in the Northumberland Wildlife Trust here.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
