The Greener Futures Leaders team from the University of Westminster’s Cavendish Living Lab (CLL) embarked on an educational journey across three schools in London, bringing interactive climate change workshops to diverse student groups.
Throughout the series that took place during March and April, the Westminster team aimed to educate and inspire young students about pressing environmental issues while providing them with practical knowledge they could apply in their daily lives. At each school, the team explored the causes and effects of climate change, highlighting how human activities accelerate global warming. They discussed the impacts on both the environment and communities worldwide and emphasised practical, everyday actions students could take to reduce their environmental footprint, from choosing sustainable transportation to conserving energy.
The first workshop took place at St. Marylebone CE Bridge School on 13 March, engaging Year 7 students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Recognising that the students particularly enjoyed stickers, the team incorporated sticker-based activities. Pupils explored key sustainability topics like food miles, composting and hydroponic farming through interactive tasks. They placed stickers on a world map to show where their breakfast items originated, helping them to visually understand the concept of food miles and the environmental impact of transporting food globally. The session also featured a waste-sorting game, where students learned to categorise waste into compostable and recyclable items. A demonstration of a real-life hydroponics system engaged students, who later designed their own systems using sticker components.
On 3 April, the team visited Hallfield School to deliver their workshop to around 30 Year 5 students. Students were surprised to learn how far their food had travelled and were particularly engaged during the hydroponics demonstration, where they saw firsthand how urban farming can help communities grow food sustainably even in small spaces.
The final workshop took place at St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School on 28 April, where the team delivered the workshop to 55 Year 5 and Year 6 students. The session once again covered the causes and effects of climate change, food sustainability, waste management and hydroponics, sparking lively discussions and questions from the enthusiastic students.
Reflecting on the experience, Nellmah Sahar, a second-year Biochemistry BSc Honours student, said: “Doing this workshop was both challenging and immensely rewarding. Seeing our new ideas and efforts come to life and watching students enjoy the session while learning about big topics such as climate change, food sustainability and hydroponics felt deeply fulfilling. The students were brilliant in engaging with the workshop, and I look forward to running more sessions with St. Marylebone CE Bridge School and other schools in the future!”
Aisha Tahliil, a final-year Biological Sciences BSc Honours student, added: “When we learned from their teacher that the students loved stickers, we made it our mission to design activities that they would enjoy. Crafting the workshop was a challenge that paid off beautifully, and it was incredible to see the students engaged and learning about sustainability! They not only had fun but also grasped the importance of their actions in protecting the planet for a greener future.”
Reflecting on presenting to a larger group at St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School, second-year Biomedical Science BSc Honours student Julia Pinheiro Bassani said: “It was a rewarding experience that required us to elevate our efforts in keeping everyone engaged. Surprisingly, the larger audience ignited a sense of excitement within our group, inspiring greater participation and enthusiasm. Witnessing the children's eagerness to share their thoughts and questions made the entire experience truly remarkable.”
Dr Pooja Basnett, Academic Lead of the CLL, said: “I am very grateful to the London Community Foundation and the Grosvenor Trust for giving us this opportunity to engage with young children about food sustainability and climate change. It is crucial to get children thinking about these issues from a young age, as they are our future. Having interacted with these students, I can confidently say that our planet is in safe hands. I am also incredibly proud of our Greener Future Leaders from Westminster. They have done an outstanding job designing and delivering these highly interactive workshops.”
These workshops directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and 13: Climate Action. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about the Cavendish Living Lab at the University of Westminster.
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