Santa goes green to reward Sunderland pupils

Richard Avenue Primary School, who have just achieved their third Green Flag, have won eco-friendly Christmas presents for their school from bus operator Stagecoach North East.

Pupils from across the region wrote letters to the company’s Green Santa asking for environmentally-friendly presents for their school.

At Richard Avenue Primary School, year three, four and five pupils from the Eco Gardening Club came up with an innovative idea. They asked for hedgehog homes to make warm, cosy beds for them in their wildlife garden.

The children have been learning all about how hedgehogs have been struggling this year. Maria, age eight, said: “The hedgehogs need some where to sleep and be warm too.”

The winning schools were chosen by Green Santa himself. He then took time out of his busy schedule to visit the winning schools this week to congratulate them and present them with their winner’s certificates and gifts.

The school’s headteacher, Mrs Karen Todd, said: “As a school we are thrilled to have won the Stagecoach Green Santa award. The prize money will support in the development of wildlife habitats within our school grounds.”

If you are inspired by these pupils, and want to help wildlife in your school grounds, you’ll be able to find help and resources in the biodiversity and school grounds sections of our new website.