Cambian’s Hill House School in Lymington has been awarded an Eco-Schools Green Flag for their hard work and commitment to becoming more environmentally conscious.
The Eco-Schools Green Flag is a coveted international accreditation that has recognised and rewarded young people’s environmental actions for over 25 years.
Hill House School has embraced numerous initiatives and programmes as part of its goal to be environmentally responsible. Students and staff have been actively taking part in the Great Big School Clean, learning about Fairtrade, organizing fundraising events, and contributing to local food banks among many other charitable and socially conscious acts.
Hill House School has previously held a Green Dragons’ Den where teams of staff and students presented their ideas for eco-projects to the One Planet Living Committee, who then assessed viability. From big projects like planning a refill station/Eco-Cabin on-site and implementing a programme of recycling, reusing, and repurposing, to creating a culture of less waste and purchasing eco-friendly products like bamboo pens and toothbrushes, many good projects have started. Hill House School also achieved a £6k saving in food and catering costs over the year to date by reducing waste and their carbon footprint.
In addition, Hill House School has worked on improving biodiversity - as part of CareTech’s CARE4 Responsible Business Strategy. Students and staff have installed bat boxes, bee houses, bug hotels, and a wonderful butterfly garden in their back garden along with a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
Hill House School also focuses on children’s mental health with their daily ‘mindfulness hour’ and regular yoga sessions. Children regularly go on sensory walks, embracing and exploring their environment as well as growing herbs and vegetables as part of healthy living.
Cambian is part of the CareTech Group. One of the primary objectives of CareTech’s CARE4 responsible business strategy is taking care of the planet. CARE4, Our Responsible Business Strategy, sets out the Group’s purpose-led plan to being a responsible business. CARE4 guides us to ensure that we manage our business effectively, ethically, and sustainably.
The Eco-Schools team congratulated the Hill House School team; “What an amazing Eco-School you are! Congratulations to everyone for the great work you have managed to do, especially throughout the pandemic and lockdown. You should all be very proud of your amazing work. You are most definitely a worthy Eco-Schools with Distinction Green Flag Award winner!”
Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, said: “Earning an Eco-Schools Green Flag Award takes passion, commitment and a desire to make a difference. Pupils should be proud of their great work. They’re an inspiration and it makes us feel heartened and positive about the future of our planet.”
Kate Landells, the Hill House Principal, stated how very proud she was of everyone’s achievements. “Allowing staff to be creative and do what they enjoy is amazing. We have been using their initiative to plan and create a better future for us all.”