From hedgehog hotels to community food boxes – three Welsh schools win nationwide nature prizes

Three Welsh schools have received funding to boost nature projects on their grounds and increase students’ connection with nature.

Any school in the UK could apply for the Nature Prize and winning schools in Wales are in in Ebbw Vale and Flintshire.

The Nature Prize, run by Let’s Go Zero, and funder OVO Foundation, has awarded schools that are engaging students with nature and supporting less advantaged children and wider communities to get involved in climate action. Let’s Go Zero is the national campaign for all UK schools, colleges and nurseries to be zero carbon by 2030, led by climate solutions charity Ashden.

Cash prizes of up to £1,000 each have been awarded to projects involving food growing, community collaboration, and outdoor learning. The projects help schools create biodiverse-rich environments for students to learn from and connect with nature.

10 schools have won £1k to undertake their nature projects (one from Flintshire), and 15 will be given £200 (one from Ebbw Vale and another from Flintshire). The winning schools span England, Scotland and Wales.

Su Moore, Head of OVO Foundation said: “OVO Foundation are proud to continue supporting the Nature Prize. Through the inventiveness and diversity of the funded projects, we’re truly able to see our mission of a greener, brighter future for the next generation come to life.”

Alex Green, Head of Let’s Go Zero Campaign, which is led by climate solutions charity, Ashden said: “These 25 schools have put forward incredible plans to boost the biodiversity in their schools and make sure students have beautiful places to learn, connect with nature and share with their communities. We were so impressed by their plans and enthusiasm and hope they inspire other schools to do the same.”

Winning Welsh schools…

The Self-Sustaining Seed-Sale Garden – Elfed High School, Flintshire: £1,000

After successfully creating a small herb garden on their site, students at Elfed High School, Flintshire are on a mission to expand what they grow. With the prize money, they will create raised beds to supply their own fresh fruit and veg. Every student will use the garden in weekly lessons, and, once up and running, students will create food boxes to distribute to local elderly residents. They even have plans to run a monthly plant sale using seeds from plants growing onsite – to fund the garden’s running costs. Truly sustainable!

The ‘Nature Caught on Camera’ Project – Ebbw Vale Learning Community, South Wales: £200

Students at Ebbw Vale Learning Community want to create a range of habitats across their school grounds and will use their prize money to install bird nest boxes and hedgehog hotels complete with cameras. Footage from the cameras will be used in classes across the curriculum, and students will learn practical DT and IT skills while constructing the animal shelters.

The Plant with Families Project – Ysgol Bryn Deva in Flintshire: £200

With their prize money, Ysgol Bryn Deva plan to create a small dedicated outdoor learning space, complete with composting bins, basic gardening tools and raised beds. They also plan to run a community planting event, where every student and their family will have the chance to come together to plant native trees, shrubs and learn sustainable gardening practices.

Let’s Go Zero and OVO Foundation bring more than 37,000 children closer to nature

The OVO Foundation Nature Prize is part of OVO Foundation’s Climate Changers programme launched in 2022.

Over the last three years, 75 schools taking climate action through the competition have brought more than 37,000 children closer to nature.  This year saw record number of entries.

OVO Foundation Nature Prize Winning schools:

£1k winners​

• Elfed High School, Flintshire​, Wales
• Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands  ​
• Stanton Vale Special School, Derbyshire
• Coten End Primary School, Warwick​
• Bugle School, Cornwall​
• Chestnut Park Primary School, Croydon​
• St Elizabeth Catholic Primary School, London​
• Parsons Heath CofE Primary School, Colchester​
• Bridgewater Primary School, Newcastle ​
• Blackfield Primary School, Southampton​

£200 winners ​

• Ebbw Vale Learning Community, Ebbw Vale, Wales
• Ysgol Bryn Deva, Connah’s Quay, Flintshire, Wales​
• Dudley College, West Midlands
• Manor Park Primary Academy, Birmingham​
• Selkirk High School, Scotland​
• Park Community Academy, Blackpool​
• Scholes Village Primary School, West Yorkshire
• Co-op Academy Portland, Wirral​
• St Andrew’s CofE Primary School, Manchester​
• Newlands Primary Academy, Ramsgate​
• St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Bodmin​, Cornwall
• Avenue Centre for Education, Luton​
• Kelvin Grove Primary School, London​
• Fawley Infant School, Southampton​
• The James Hornsby School, Essex