21/09/10
Pontrobert’s school children and community centre to reduce carbon with local produce
School children at Ysgol Pontrobert are aiming to reduce their carbon footprint by holding a farmers market on Friday 24th September at 3pm at Pontrobert Community Centre.
Pontrobert Community Centre, which is part of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Climate Change Challenge, is encouraging the local community to reduce their carbon footprint by buying local produce.
Community-made goods on sale include vegetables, cakes, eggs and chutneys which the children made from their home-grown produce.
Buying local produce has many advantages – it has a lower carbon footprint than food that has been imported into the country, it is usually fresher and helps to support local businesses.
Secretary at Pontrobert Community Centre, John Rose, said: “We want as many people as possible to be involved in the Climate Change Challenge to help us reduce our carbon footprint.
“The farmers market is a great way of showing people how tasty home-grown vegetables are. Food from the supermarket often has a higher footprint as it is regularly flown into the UK.”
Headteacher at Ysgol Pontrobert, Jane Peate, said: “The children have really enjoyed learning how easy it is to grow their own vegetables. They have also been learning about how to protect the environment and we are looking forward to coming up with fun ways of reducing the community centre’s carbon emissions.”
Pontrobert Community Centre will be competing in a friendly rivalry with Bridges Community Centre in Monmouthshire and Bloomfield House Community Centre in Pembrokeshire, in a year-long competition to reduce their carbon footprint. For more information on the Challenge visit www.walescarbonfootprint.gov.uk
For more information on the farmers market contact office@pontrobert.powys.sch.uk
