This week, Weston College have hosted two events focusing on sustainability; a Community Beach Clean on Monday 24th April and a Sustainability Conference on Thursday 26th April.

Both events’ main aim was to educate those in attendance on the importance of sustainability, through interactivity, guest talks and informative resources.

The Beach Clean was open to staff and students, but also to members of the community to work towards a cleaner environment. This event was very kindly funded by Burnham & Weston Energy, meaning all necessary equipment could be provided to help make this event as accessible as possible! The clean was a huge team effort of volunteers from the college and community, to help with the restoration and preservation of our coastlines, and acting as a fun and engaging way to raise awareness about environmental issues.

Alongside the actual beach clean element of this event, there were also several stands set up in the Tropicana where students and the public could learn more. North Somerset Council’s Waste and Recycling team, as well as their Energy team had stands at the Tropicana, on hand and ready to inform and engage in meaningful conversations with the community.

Following the theme throughout the week, the Weston College Sustainability Conference took place at the Winter Gardens Pavilion, with learners from the college and UCW, as well as employers in attendance. Burnham & Weston Energy’s Lynda Wookey provided the keynote speech, focused on Community Energy to contribute towards the development of the college’s sustainability strategy for the future.

Employers who work closely with the college also dotted stalls throughout the ballroom, including North Somerset Council, Uncle Paul’s Chilli Charity and Garden Organic. The stalls, similar to the beach clean, were able to bring interactive games and resources to engage the attendees in learning about environmental issues. Our Travel and Tourism learners had their own stall on the Future of Sustainable Transport in Weston, which acted as fantastic experience in interacting with new people and presenting their own ideas.

Following this, the attendees were treated to an insightful Q&A session with panellists including Lynda Wookey (Burnham & Weston Energy) Kate Eastment (Garden Organic), Joe Tristram (Centre for Sustainable Energy), Alexandra Watson (Michelmores) and Amelia Cruz (Younity), before a student discussion to conclude the event.

Jo Philpott, Vice Principal – Curriculum Delivery & Technical Innovation, commented on the success of the week: “Here at Weston College, we are very committed to our Sustainability and Social Action Framework. This framework, in turn, will help us in building a green, lean and socially responsible culture to create a sustainable and community focused College of the Future.

“Through implementing initiatives such as the Beach Clean and the Conference this week, we are able to engage a huge number of our learners, staff, and the wider community of North Somerset, and play a part in an agile and responsive approach to our community. I am thrilled with the outcome of both events, and look forward to the impact they each have for the future.”