04/07/2023 - Luton Council's ECO awards given to Early Years providers and childminders

All children and young people have the right to live in a clean environment. Luton Early Years eco scheme invites all Early Years settings to encourage young children and their families to engage with environmental and sustainable development issues as early as possible. This is to make sure our future generations grow up as environmentally responsible adults who can look after their local community, waste less and recycle more.

The first award ceremonies took place in May, with some of the Early Years settings showcasing the outstanding work that they do to reduce, reuse and recycle, keeping their messages simple and positive. Thirty-eight Early Years settings including twenty childminders attended and were presented with their certificate and a free compost bin, donated by Luton’s recycling department.

Over the course of the year, the Early Years children have been super busy and excited to participate in a variety of activities that have included:

• biodiversity: watching baby chicks and ducklings hatch and caring for their needs, looking after African snails, bird watching and making bird feeders, bug hotels and going for daily nature walks using binoculars and magnifying glasses
• energy: ensuring lights are switched off, computer monitors are turned off and external doors and windows are closed when the heating or air conditioning is in use
• global citizenship: learning all about other countries, different festivals and celebrations, learning how to say hello in other languages, tasting food from all around the world
• healthy living: having opportunities to run, jump and dance every day, healthy eating, growing their own herbs, fruit and vegetables to use for snacks, eating child size meals, no food waste, eating fresh produce of fruit/veg from local greengrocers, outdoor play, walk to school week
• litter: keeping their classroom and playground clean and tidy, using colour coordinated recycling bins, litter picking
• marine: menu planning a fish dish, nature trail along the river Lee, nature walk around Wardown Park pond, caring for the setting’s fish in their tank
• waste: using colour coordinated recycling bins, placing food waste in composting trays, lending library, swishing used clothing including uniforms, helping local food banks, junk modelling, reuse paper, reusable cups and lunch boxes, hand driers in toilets
• water: turning off water taps during hand washing, collecting rain water in water butts, using water fountains

Councillor Aslam Kahn, portfolio holder for Children, Families and Education with responsibility for children’s health and wellbeing, said: “The ECO awards scheme is a fantastic opportunity for early years settings to get involved in Luton’s 2040 vision of being a more sustainable town.

"By teaching Luton’s young people how to recycle properly, we can ensure that they are a part of this vision for the town. This is a fantastic way to engage children and families in recycling. It’s never too young to learn about the environment and the ways we can help sustain it.”

Martina Timoney, Childcare Support and Advice Officer, said “We can all take small steps, just like our Early Years children, and together make a big difference.”

One childminder organised for 12 of her minded children and their families to take a holiday by the coast with all of them car/fuel sharing and caravan sharing to promote an ECO friendly contribution to the environment.

If you're inspired by our Luton Early Years ECO award scheme, and your Early Years setting would like to take part in the award in the forthcoming year, contact Martina Timoney by email to sign up.