BGS is delighted to announce that it has successfully achieved the prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag Award for a fifth time. The award programme, run by the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, recognises schools’ efforts to raise awareness of ecological issues and in creating sustainable school environments. The Green Flag is their top-level award.

The BGS Eco Council, comprised of student representatives from the Junior and Senior School, have been crucial in driving eco-initiatives and undertaking various projects to provide valuable evidence for the Award renewal application.

Over the past two years since BGS last achieved the award, the Eco Council has added to the orchard at Cople Fields by planting a range of fruit trees, donated by the Orchards for Schools charity, as well as introducing beehives at the site. There has also been the construction of a hibernaculum, making butterfly and bird feeders, participating in the annual RSPB Big Schools Birdwatch as well as holding a homemade body scrub workshop and a Sixth Form assembly to highlight the issue of plastic microbeads polluting our rivers and seas - just a few examples of the Eco Council’s activities.

The Award application culminated in an Eco-Schools Assessor visit on Tuesday. The award also acknowledges the contribution of the entire school community, from recycling rubbish, switching off lights and equipment when not in use or car sharing, walking, cycling or using public transport to get to school. Together we can make a difference!