PUPILS at a Clacks school were hard at work last week as they made the first steps in making sure they can earn another eco award.

Park PS received its Eco-Schools Green Flag Award after a successful campaign displaying their passion for sustainability and drive to help the environment.

The school is now looking ahead to doubling their feat by adding another flag and has already carried out two eco projects as part of their new campaign.

A pupil from each class made up the Eco Crew and are led by principal teacher Jackie McKay.

On Thursday, March 30, the Eco Crew embarked on a litter pick throughout their local area, filling up eight bin bags worth of food wrappers, glass bottles, cans and vape cartridges.

The Crew went out the next day and, with the held of The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) member Clare Johnstone, planted six new fruit trees in the school garden.

Mrs McKay said: “It was great to get out and work on this project. The trees came from a donation from Clare Johnstone and they try to encourage people to plant for sustainability.

“All the Eco Crew were out so we spent the first part of the morning digging. Every one of the pupils was digging, so everyone got to take part.

“We’ve just set a new action for our next eco flag so we’re already hard at work on that project.”

“The kids are seeing the benefit and they’re all loving it. We carried out the litter pick on Thursday as well and everyone was buzzing about it.”

Park PS worked hard throughout the last year to obtain the award and on Friday, March 24, a celebration was held after they raised the eco flag for the first time since 2009.

As part of their campaign, they identified reducing inequality as one of their main goals and worked hard to produce signs to encourage dog owners to reduce dog fouling that could be understood by non-English speakers.

Clare, from TCV, highlighted the importance of educating school children about sustainability.

She said: “The Eco Crew were a great team of pupils and they knew their stuff about nature so I’m sure the fruit trees we planted are in great hands.

“There’s a realisation that kids don’t really know where they’re food comes from and getting kids to eat fruit is so much easier if they pick it off the tree themselves.

“We can plug into schools and see if anyone is up for planting fruit trees to deepen their understanding of the food growth process.

“If we can facilitate then that’s what we’re all about – getting people out and enjoying nature."

Clare explained that TCV were the facilitators of the project, run by Coutts Investment Bank, who sponsor TCV to deliver fruit trees to grow in schools.

Enabling Projects in Clackmannanshire (EPIC) TCV were able to deliver this project in a drive to support biodiversity and enable a wide range of people to have better access and understanding of nature across the Wee County.

Schools interested in plating fruit trees can contact clare.johnstone@tcv.org.uk for more info.