Loudoun Academy take action during Eco Week and Mental Health Awareness Week

Loudoun Academy was a hive of activity last week for Eco Week and Mental Health Awareness Week, with the young people taking direct action to tackle environmental issues around the school and focusing on their wellbeing.

The school had a full programme of activities encouraging young people and staff to look after the planet and their minds. The events focused on ‘Small steps. Big Impact. Together’ and included a mental health walk at lunchtime, a bake sale in aid of ‘SAMH for Scotland’s mental health’, an introduction to mindfulness and they finished the week with a picnic in the park.

This sounds like a full week but there was so much more going on. In addition to classes on mental health awareness, the young people were outdoors making a difference to their local community.

They were out every day after lunch taking part in litter picks, geography classes were conducting litter impact surveys every day in the morning and again in the afternoon, and all subjects were delivering litter-based lessons to join up the learning and further promote the anti-litter message.

Officers from the Council and campus cop PC Rae conducted patrols at lunchtime and gave advice on fixed penalty notices (£80) for dropping litter.

S1 and S2 designed posters that were displayed throughout the school that aimed to change the mindsets of their peers who drop litter. Gabriel B from S1 had his design chosen to be displayed on the roundabout on the A71 to amplify the anti-littering message.

This action has led to a huge reduction in litter around the school and the young people have requested to continue with litter picks on a regular basis.

Councillor Elaine Cowan, Spokesperson for Education, and Children and Young People said: “It is wonderful to hear that our young people are focusing on improving the planet and their wellbeing by being outside and making a positive impact on their community. Littering is a blight on our beautiful countryside across Scotland but activities like this will really help to change the mindset and encourage everyone to be mindful and respectful of their environment.”

Councillor Sally Cogley, local member for Irvine Valley said: “I’m delighted to see pupils and staff from Loudoun Academy working with the local community to improve our environment - well done and thank you.“