Oxfordshire schools awarded for green travel campaigns

The students presented their concepts at a pitch event held at County Hall in Oxford as part of Oxfordshire County Council’s travel champions programme.

Teams from Fitzharrys School in Abingdon and The Warriner School in Banbury each took home £200 to support their campaigns.

Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport management, said: “It was wonderful to hear the brilliant ideas and fresh perspectives the teams brought for ways their schools can engage their communities and inspire more sustainable travel.

“I am really looking forward to seeing their ideas take shape as they build their plans.”

The Warriner School team proposed a campaign promoting respectful travel and car sharing – an especially relevant message for their rural location where many pupils travel by bus or car.

Fitzharrys School students focused on encouraging more walking to school, highlighting the benefits of increased physical activity and improved air quality.

Both teams were named joint winners by a judging panel including councillors Andrew Gant and Emily Kerr, plus Ellie Clarke-Jacques from Active Oxfordshire.

The students described presenting in the council chamber as both ‘inspiring’ and ‘educational’.

They called the event a ‘good experience [we] were fortunate and proud to have’.

Following the pitch, the pupils will take part in a marketing session before delivering, evaluating, and contributing their campaigns to their schools’ overall travel plans.