Welcome to the Somerset School Coastal Champions
Turn your school into a Coastal Champion! Work together and make positive changes that have big benefits for local nature, waterways and coastal environments.
Working in partnership with Somerset Wildlife Trust and Carymoor Environmental Trust, Litter Free Coast and Sea Somerset have launched the Somerset School Coastal Championship!
Through this exciting campaign, we will be working closely with schools, sharing messages and actions with schools to include bathing water and marine litter issues in environmental education programmes.
There are lots of reasons for you to get involved! Through the Coastal Championship, you’ll find out why cleaner beaches and seas and thriving coastal ecosystems are important to local communities, clubs and schools in Somerset!
• Sometimes environmental issues and their long-term impact can be hard to see.
• We know that what we throw away, flush down the toilet and pour down our sinks can block drains and sewers allowing litter and sewage to enter the sea after heavy rainfall, reducing the cleanliness of our coastal waters and impacting water quality.
• BUT by working together, we can all make a positive difference to the natural environment that surrounds us and supports us!
Find out more about how you can get your school involved in the Somerset School Coastal Championships below!
How does the scheme work?
The three levels of the award are Ripple, Roller and Crest. Each level of the scheme should take about one school term to complete.
The actions are all quite straightforward (and the school may have already completed some of the actions points). By following the steps outlined on your personal action plan , you will receive accreditation to the Somerset School Coastal Champions league which includes certificates of achievement, window stickers, and promotion of your school’s efforts online, on social media and at events.
How To Get Involved
We will be launching the pilot for the scheme this year. To find out more and register to be involved, contact us at: litterfreesomerset@gmail.com.
- Sign Up To Become A Somerset Coastal Champion And Commit To The Core Principles: We’ll send you the Action Plan so that you can have a read through and start thinking about the areas of your school that you need to focus on.
- Identify Fellow Coastal Champions and Pick Your A Team: Hint…try to include a wide range of players in your team including teachers, school managers, PTA members, pupils and TAs.
- Set To Work: It’s time for some investigation – what does your school already do to protect the coastal environment and where could it do better?
- Its Action Time: Find your allies within the school, and work out how to achieve all of the different challenges on your action plans. Set yourself a timeline so that you have milestones to work towards (hint…try to achieve one level per term).
- Actions speak louder than words: Lead by example and celebrate what you are achieving within your community. Share your stories within the school, friends, families. Pass the baton and inspire other schools to get involved by sharing the changes that you have made. Tweet your success stories using the hashtag #SomersetCoastalChampions
Your Schools Portal: Dropbox
Dropbox is your school’s portal to upload evidence for completed actions for each level of the award, and to see suggestions for what evidence you can use.
TOP TIPS
Top tips from our project partners will be shown here to help you achieve all your levels.
 | Dunster First School Levels Completed: Ripple, Roller & Crest |
 | Eastover Primary School Levels Completed: Ripple & Roller Current Level: Crest |
 | East Brent Preschool Levels Completed: Ripple Current Level: Roller |
| Northgate Primary School Current Level: Ripple | |
| Pawlett Primary School Current Level: Ripple | |
| East Huntspill Primary School Current Level: Ripple | |
| West Huntspill Primary School Current Level: Ripple | |
| Otterhampton Primary School Current Level: Ripple | |
| St Peter’s C of E First School Current Level: Ripple | |
| Timberscombe Church of England First School Current Level: Ripple | |
| Lympsham Church of England VC First School Current Level: Ripple | |
| Five Rivers Child Care Current Level: Ripple | |
| Old Cleeve C of E First School Current Level: Ripple | |
| Mark Church of England VC First School Current Level: Ripple | |
| Minehead First School Current Level: Ripple | |
| The Knights Templar School Current Level: Ripple | |
| St Andrew’s C of E Junior School Current Level: Ripple | |
| Berrow C of E Primary School Current Level: Ripple | |
| Shipham C of E First School Current Level: Ripple |
PHOTO GALLERY
Eastover Primary School – Ripple Award
Dunster First School – Ripple Award
Funders & partners
