Annual Review 2025 14 Climate Leaders – Cumbria Development Education Centre Young people across the county are taking action and leading the way in educating others on sustainability and the climate crisis, thanks to a project funded by Cumbria Community Foundation. Cumbria Development Education Centre (CDEC) developed ‘Climate Leaders – the future is now’ to empower young people to take social action. The project received £51,866 from the Foundation over three years, from multiple funds, to work with schools, youth groups and other organisations. Heron Hill Primary School in Kendal is one of the schools taking part. It has a well-established programme of environmental action, including an Eco Council, made up of 24 pupils from across the school who meet once a week. One of the oldest members, Evie, explained what the funding has enabled them to do. “We were having a lot of fruit for snacks, which is good, but all of the banana peels and orange skins were just going in the normal bins. We decided we wanted to use this waste to make compost. So now each yard has two bins, one for all the ordinary litter and one for the composting. “And then we realised that the staff needed a compost bin as well. So we put one in their room so that they can do the same as all the children.” The compost is used on the school’s vegetable patch, feeding pumpkins and courgettes which will be used to make school dinners, further reducing the school’s carbon footprint. The teacher in charge of the Eco Council, Emma Patrick, explained: Now we have the eco councillors established, we are trying to embed the programme through the whole school so everybody can contribute. This is key to the ethos of the programme – that young people will pass on what they have learned to others. Laura Goad, Director of CDEC, explained: “The idea is that a core group of young people will upskill others and build a movement of young and older people across Cumbria whose actions will make a difference locally and globally for our planet, people and place.” ACTING ON CLIMATE CHANGE Creating stronger and more Composting Members of the Heron Hill Primary School Eco Council
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