Pictured - Jia and Asha Kirkpatrick
We are delighted to announce that Inspirational global campaigners Asha Kirkpatrick (BGS Year 8), 13, and her 10-year-old sister Jia, have been shortlisted in the Young Heroes category for the Amplifon Awards for Brave Britons 2020. The awards ceremony will be taking place online on Sunday 13th October.
In early 2020, the sisters persuaded cereal giant Kellogg’s, to change how it sources palm oil to help end farming methods threatening to wipe out endangered orangutans.
After meeting with Kellogg’s and gathering over 790,000 signatures for their cause, the firm pledged to source 100% of its palm oil sustainably by 2025. Read more about their national campaign here.
The petition currently has over 835,000 signatures, and since its launch, Kellogg’s has appointed an NGO [independent non-government organisation] to be its eyes and ears; if a mill is non-compliant, Kellogg’s will stop using the entire company, not just that mill.
Asha and Jia reflected: “The support that we receive from the media has been absolutely amazing and really gives us the motivation to carry on our petition no matter what. Also, the comments that people leave on our petition page are heart-warming and really make us feel like what we are doing is important. The attention that people have given us for our work has been so uplifting and we will continue to petition to protect our earth and the people in it.”
Asha’s form tutor, Mrs Hoar, said: “We continue to applaud Asha and Jia’s amazing campaign. The girls are inspirational pioneers, who completely embody our school values of being Bold, Imaginative and Reflective. The award nomination is well deserved and we wish Asha and Jia the very best of luck on the night!”
We are super proud to see our fantastic students using their voices to make such a positive change globally.
The petition is very close to a million signatures, please support it here.
