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Little charity is making a big impact

blackmorevaleDecember 15, 20200 Comment0

A small charity in Yeovil is having a big impact on young people and the environment.

More than a million people have logged on to the Young People’s Trust for the Environment’s website and some 100,000 pupils and parents downloaded lesson plans during lockdown and the pandemic. A strong following for a charity with just two members of staff working from home.

The charity was set up in 1982 to encourage young people’s understanding of the environment and boost awareness of environmental issues such as climate change, pollution, deforestation and endangered flora and fauna.

Charity director Peter Littlewood said: “The charity also aims to provide balanced views to take into account the realities of the modern world. We have support from some fantastic presidents, who include Dermot O’Leary, Zoe Wanamaker OBE, Steve Backshall and children’s author Andy Stanton.

“In 2021, we will be launching a new project called Better Planet Schools, which we hope will reach all of the UK’s primary schools by 2030 and which encourages environmental learning pupil-led action on issues like saving energy, reducing waste (particularly plastic) and increasing biodiversity in school grounds. The schools that took part in the EU-funded pilot project all saw reductions in their energy use of 10-15 per cent. And given that the average primary school energy bill is £30,000 per year, that’s quite significant.”

Peter was giving environmental talks in schools within a 30-mile radius of Yeovil before lockdown and now he is giving these presentations on Zoom.

Find out more at ypte.org.uk.

For lesson plans go to ypte.org.uk/lesson-plans/browse

For home learning packs go to ypte.org.uk/topics/home- learning-packs

And for parents who would like to explain climate change to their children go to ypte.org.uk/downloads/climate-change-for-parents