A YouGov poll last year found that 99% of UK respondents believed that children should be taught about the impact of litter at school.
85% of the respondents believe that the wider climate change topic should be taught in all schools.
The campaign is looking to raise £42,000 to fund five years of sponsorship for Keep Britain Tidy’s “Eco-Schools England” which looks to teach schoolchildren about litter.
Adam Flint, national manager of Eco-Schools England, commented: “Young people aren’t just concerned about climate change – they’re demanding the knowledge and tools to fight it.
“Pupils working on Eco-Schools have demonstrated this for more than 30 years. Litter and waste are a key part of this drive. Litter-picking, recycling and reducing our waste are day to day things we can do to take action, but it all starts with increased knowledge. Covering this in the classroom is vital.”
Eco-Schools England
The Eco-Schools England programme was created by Keep Britain Tidy and is the biggest environmental education programme in the world.
1.4 million pupils at 4,300 schools around the UK currently take part in the award-shortlisted programme.
Eco-Schools uses a seven-step framework to engage children in nurseries, schools and colleges in learning about the environment.
The Matilda’s Legacy campaign
The Matilda’s Legacy campaign was set up to commemorate 11-year-old Matilda Pritchard who tragically passed away peacefully in her sleep in April 2024 due to an undiagnosed heart condition.
Steve Pritchard, Matilda’s father and campaign manager, said: “Matilda loved learning about the environment and making a difference to her local community through regular litter picks. This campaign looks to honour her passion and hopefully inspire future generations to be just as passionate”.
Her family said that the campaign has acted as a form of therapy to honour Matilda. The five years it sponsors represents the years at secondary school Matilda should have experienced.
The campaign has so far raised over £29,000 and raised awareness of the small changes the public can make to “achieve Matilda’s dream of a world without litter”.
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