Solihull school crowned winner at UK Water Explorer awards

Monkspath  Junior and Infant School in Solihull has been announced the winner at the UK Water Explorer awards, which took place in London’s Canary Wharf on Friday.

A school and youth group based environmental education project that aims to highlight the importance of water conservation on a global level, Water Explorer is delivered by UK charity Global Action Plan (GAP) and supported by the HSBC Water Programme.

Water Explorer is a free, fully-resourced online programme for schools and youth groups and sets a range of water-based challenges for 8-14 year olds.

It offers innovative and energising learning opportunities for young people, helping them to understand how to reduce their own water footprint and help others to do the same.

Monkspath Junior and Infant School competed against 475 other teams to gain their place in the UK finals, where on Friday the 21st September they presented their project to a panel of expert judges from GAP, Eco Schools, The World’s Largest Lesson, STEM Learning and HSBC.

Luke Wynne, Global Action Plan Head of Schools, said: “The students that have taken part in Water Explorer are testament to the important role that young people play in leading positive change for the environment and making our world a better place.”

Monkspath Junior and Infant School completed a raft of water saving activities throughout the year, including connecting to Water Explorer teams in South Africa and Malta. They also hosted a Water Festival which was a Fashion Show where the students upcycled old items of clothing.

Judges were particularly impressed by their passion and ability to think outside the box in all the incredible water saving activities they had done.

By the end of the first four years of the programme (August 2016), Water Explorer had resulted in the following (among other) benefits:

• 3,500 schools/groups with Water Explorer teams
• 7.5 million m3 water saved = 3,000 Olympic swimming pools

Water Explorer continues to run for another year and groups of interested children, teachers and leaders from schools, scouts and brownies across the UK are invited to register to take part. For more information: http://www.waterexplorer.org/home