Santa goes green to reward Sunderland pupils

Headteacher Mrs Karen Todd (left), Green Santa and class teacher Rachael Dunn with pupils from Richard Avenue Primary School

Bus operator Stagecoach North East, is delivering eco-friendly Christmas presents to children from Richard Avenue Primary School and Grindon Broadway Junior School, the winners of its Green Santa Schools competition.

Pupils were invited to write a letter to the company’s Green Santa to ask for environmentally-friendly presents for their school worth up to £250 and the two schools were chosen from all the entries by Green Santa himself.

Olivia 9, Lucky 9, Michael 9, Millie 9, Sarah 10, Dean 10, Lara 9, Layton, 9, with Green Santa and class teacher, Zoe Cooper.

At Richard Avenue Primary School, year three, four and five pupils from the Eco Gardening Club, which has just won its third Green Flag Award, came up with an innovative idea, asking for hedgehog homes to make warm, cosy beds for them in their wildlife garden. The Eco Gardening Club has been learning all about how hedgehogs have been struggling this year.

Green Santa then took time out of his busy schedule to visit the winning schools this week to congratulate them and present them with their winner’s certificates and gifts.

Maria Glover, age eight, from Richard Avenue Primary School, said: “The hedgehogs need some where to sleep and be warm too.”

Mrs Karen Todd, headteacher at Richard Avenue Primary School, said: “As a school we are thrilled to have won the Stagecoach Green Santa award. The prize money will support in the development of wildlife habitats within our school grounds.”

At Grindon Broadway Junior School, year five and six students requested gardening tools and waterproof clothing so they can work in their forest school throughout the year whatever the weather.

Eleven-year-old Sarah, a pupil from Grindon Broadway Junior School, said: “I feel happy and excited that we won the Green Santa competition, I am proud of the work I entered.”