Heacham students protest climate change with beach clean

Students at Heacham Junior School joined the international protests on climate change on Friday the 24th of May that saw hundreds and thousands of youths worldwide demand a call to action on the issue.

Inspired by young Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg, scores of children took to Heacham beach armed with banners and litter pickers. Forest School teacher Emily Riddington explains: “We have basically followed her because we feel empowered by her and she’s given us a voice we are joining in with the protests.”

“Some children haven’t come in today as they are at the protests. This is our own protest. We teamed up with the Surfers Against Sewage charity and thought we would do a beach clean whilst we protest.”

16-year-old Nobel Peace Prize nominated Thunberg is pressing for other countries to follow suit of Britain, Scotland and Ireland and declare a climate emergency, urging schoolchildren to follow the ‘Fridays for Future’ strike movement internationally.

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) is a marine conservation charity that works alongside local communities to help protects oceans, beaches and marine life. They have more recently turned toward aiding communities to help protect their coastlines from the threat of plastic pollution.

As part of the West Norfolk Academy Trust which includes Heacham Junior School, Heacham Infant School and Snettisham Primary School, all three of the schools took part in activities pertaining to the issues of climate change and the environment that day.

Emily adds: “We wanted to be in school but show children how they can help the environment and think about climate change. They’ve written poems, they’re doing a litter pick.”

“We’re also thinking about how we need to change our lives a little bit to help the future and to help the environment. We organised something where we could be part of the village community and show our views this way.”