Children in schools across Wales have been enjoying a new School Activity Ideas Pack created by the newly formed Food & Drink Skills Wales project. The pack, which encourages pupils to examine environmental factors affecting our food chains, was launched as part of Wales Climate Week(December 4-8).
This year’s Wales Climate Week focussed on the theme of “fairness” in the context of climate change, examining its disproportionate effect on people and places. It has included a wide range of events running throughout the week, both online and in-person.
The week provided the opportunity to promote the positive work and sustainability credentials of the food and drink industry in Wales, alongside the environmental and social benefits of sourcing locally. Whilst also raising awareness of the career opportunities in the sector.
The new School Activity Ideas Pack has been designed to help pupils consider the food-related themes that were on the agenda for Wales Climate Week. Using the pack, pupils have been researching the origin of produce to calculate food miles, investigating packaging materials used, creating sustainable recipes, making social media reels about being creative with food waste, and more.
Food & Drink Skills Wales is funded by the Welsh Government and led by Menter a Busnes, an independent company that supports individuals, businesses and organisations in Wales to start and develop their businesses.
Jane Pettit, Subject Leader for Food, Nutrition and Horticulture at Llanishen High School near Cardiff said:
“We were really excited to participate in Wales Climate Week. Thanks to the Activity Pack from Food & Drink Skills Wales, we developed activities, which involves a Climate Change quiz and a classroom exercise looking at food miles and food provenance. We added a competitive element by running the session as a competition.
“At Llanishen High School Food Department, we strive to make pupils aware of topics such as food miles, sustainability and other environmental issues. Our pupils spend time on the curriculum in our zero waste garden and are actively involved in planting and harvesting produce that we use in our practical lessons. Our KS4 subjects; Food and Nutrition and Hospitality & Catering link directly to themes covered in Wales Climate Week 2023.”
Minister for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths MS, said:
“Wales Climate Week 2023 has encouraged people throughout Wales to consider the impact of climate change and what they can do to help. Addressing climate change will be a major theme in the lives of today’s school children and so it is vital they consider the matter in constructive and creative ways which will help them feel empowered to make positive changes. Food & Drink Skills Wales’ new School Activity Ideas Pack is important in helping them do this.”
The activity pack was used at multiple schools in Wales during Wales Climate Week and will be available beyond Wales Climate Week directly from Food & Drink Skills Wales.
Nerys Davies, Food & Drink Skills Wales Project Manager, said:
“We’re delighted with the response to our new School Activity Ideas Pack, which aims to help children understand the environmental issues affecting our food supply chains, food packaging, food waste and more – and to explore possible solutions. We hope this pack will continue to be used way beyond Wales Climate Week to help children for a future in which these themes will be more important than ever.”
