St Robert’s pupils campaign for change

Young eco-warriors spoke up for change, when they staged their own Climate Justice Exhibition at St Robert’s Catholic First School in Morpeth.

Children across all year groups took part in the event, which saw them create original pieces of art to spread awareness about the urgent issues related to climate change.

Alice Butler, who is Lead for both Geography and Art at the school, oversaw the project.

“Get Creative for Climate Justice asks young people to explore climate change as a justice issue, and to put Catholic social teaching into action by creating artwork to send a loud and clear climate justice message,” she said.

“When I saw it publicised, I knew that it was something we should do. Our children are going to have to cope with the impacts of climate change throughout their lives.”

She continued: “Each class has taken an aspect of climate change, and explored its impact on the world, its people and animals. They have created work to share their concerns about what is happening because of climate change.

“It is a cross-curricular project, and, as such, touches on Geography, Catholic social teaching, and, as the responses are creative, it also incorporates Art. We felt that it enhances our curriculum, making it very relevant to our children and their lives.”

The initiative is supported by a series of charities, including CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development), Christian Aid, Oxfam, and Send My Friend to School, and gives children the creative freedom to examine climate change issues in a variety of different ways.

Mrs Butler explained: “Every class has taken their own angle and built their project around what interests them. For example, Year 3 have explored AI and the energy use of data centres and how this affects the areas that they are built in; Nursery have thought about melting ice caps and have built an igloo from milk cartons; and Year 1 have explored what happens when the earth heats up and forest fires begin.

“The big idea behind it is that we get children to use their voices for change. We want to educate the children about what’s happening, and then encourage them to fight for change by educating others. We want them to stand up for what is right, and to be confident enough to do so.”

The exhibition on Tuesday 16 June was attended by parents, carers, and members of the parish community, as well as the Deputy Mayor of Morpeth, Pat Elton, and councillors Alison Byard and Pat Fuller.

Mrs Butler added: “I think events like this, which explore the impacts of human behaviour on the world, are extremely important. It is our children who will have to live with the consequences of our actions.”