The Minister for School Standards has agreed to meet two young Gedling green warriors who won a Pride of Britain award, to discuss further ways to rid schools of single-use plastics.
Sisters, Amy (18) and Ella (16) Meek have recently been crowned Green Champions at the prestigious British awards as well as being recognised Environmental Heroes at the Pride of Gedling awards for their commitment to help fight the global scourge of plastic pollution.
They also launched the Charity Kids Against Plastic back in 2016 and since founding their youth-led organisation, the girls have worked hard to inspire kids and adults alike to take action to reduce plastic consumption or become ‘Plastic Clever’, as they call it.
Their plastic scheme has since been adopted my thousands of schools as well as many businesses, cafes, councils, and festivals all over the UK.
As well as speaking with aviation leaders and at the UN, the siblings have personally collected 100,000 pieces of rubbish, one for every sea mammal killed by plastic pollution every year.
Their first book, Be Plastic Clever, was published last year.
Speaking about their environmental work, Amy said: “We take our gloves and litter pickers with us wherever we go at weekends and fill our pockets with plastic if we’re on a bike ride. Once you start picking it up, you start seeing it everywhere and then you end up feeling uncomfortable about driving or walking past it without doing something.”
Ella added: “We are all part of the problem, which makes us part of the solution.”
The pair is now set to meet Robin Walker MP, the Minister of State for Education, to see what more can be done to limit single-use plastics in schools.
During Education Questions on November 1, Gedling MP Tom Randall invited the minister to meet with the sisters and celebrate their great work.
He said: “My teenage constituents Amy and Ella Meek created the charity Kids Against Plastic to campaign against the use of plastic, and they are currently running the very successful Plastic Clever Schools initiative to encourage schools to reduce plastic usage.
“Their work was recognised at the weekend, when they were crowned Green Champions at this year’s Pride of Britain awards.”
He added: “Will the Minister join me in congratulating Amy and Ella on their success and meet them to discuss their ongoing work and to see what more can be done to rid schools of single-use plastics?”
The Minister for School Standards replied: “I would be delighted to join Tom Randall MP to meet Amy and Ella to discuss their idea and the resources they have created through their Plastic Clever Schools campaign.
“Only last week, in a debate in the House, I discussed the importance of teaching about climate change and sustainability in schools. I am looking forward to visiting, this Friday, the Rivers multi-academy trust, to learn about how it incorporates sustainability into its curriculum.”
Speaking after Education Questions, Randall MP said, “Gedling constituents Amy and Ella Meek’s fantastic Kids Against Plastic campaign is reducing plastic usage by so far making over 1000 schools and over 50 cafes, businesses, festivals and Council’s plastic clever.
“They are well deserved winners of this year’s Green Champions Pride of Britain Award, and I am delighted that the Minister for School Standards has agreed to meet them to discuss what more can be done to rid schools of single-use plastics.”
