Students from Commonweal School in Swindon were announced as runners-up at the npower Climate Cops SOS final, judged by Alastair Campbell, winning £10,000 for their school and a £150 Halfords bike and safety equipment voucher for each student. 

Last year, following a nationwide search, the students were selected as finalists in npower's Climate Cops SOS competition, an initiative designed to motivate the UK's greenest teens into turning their passion for the environment into a positive campaign for Swindon.

npower launched its search for the UK’s most passionate eco-teens in April 2009, with schools challenged to choose a local environmental issue they would tackle.

Commonweal School pupils initiated their own ‘Shop Local not Global’ campaign, organising a local Farmer’s Market to ensure the whole community got involved and lent their support.

The team made and sold cakes, muffins and cheese straws from locally sourced ingredients themselves and set up a vegetable pot collection scheme with a local farmer. They presented their plans to each year group at the school to ensure everyone got involved and understood the importance of shopping locally.   

Alistair Campbell was very impressed with the results of the students’ efforts as well as the extensive local media coverage they managed to secure in order to spread the word in the community.  They were interviewed on the breakfast show of their local radio station and gained the support of local MP Anna Snelgrove.

Judge Alastair Campbell commented:                                                             

“Commonweal School students have proved that small actions can make a big difference.  By encouraging their community and peers to be more aware of the importance of locally sourced food, the students are demonstrating the power their generation can have to make change happen.”

Clare McDougall, Head of npower Climate Cops commented:

“The npower Climate Cops programme has been designed to motivate young people to make their own choices in how they want to help the planet. Commonweal School came up with some really creative ideas to get the wider community aware of the locally sourced produce available and the pupils are very deserving winners.”

All 10 schools attended the finale event at Birmingham Think Tank Science museum on 24^th March 2010.  Hosted by Alistair Campbell, the day showcased the finalist school’s inspiring work and achievements over the past year. 

The first prize was won by students at Selby High School in North Yorkshire for their innovative and original idea to write books for primary school children, inspiring them to be greener.  The school was awarded £20,000 and 10 Apple Mac laptop computers for each student. 

The second runner-up prize of £10,000 and a £150 Halfords bike and safety equipment voucher for each student was given to the Blue Coat School in Coventry for their campaign to increase recycling in the community. 

The cash prizes take the form of ‘green funds’ to help the schools implement energy saving or micro-generation measures.

Pupils at Commonweal School promise this is just the start of a long term campaign which will see them lobby local companies, individuals and community groups to help place more of a focus on recycling within the community.